For Every Moment  Part I: Descending Darkness
by trinity6diversia
Summary: The first book in a gripping new series about the relationship between a father and his daughter.  You thought you knew who they were.  You thought you knew who they would become.  But what if a different choice had been made.  What if love was first?
1. Chapter 1: Ahsoka

**Welcome to my second fanfic! This is the novel I wrote for NaNoWriMo 2011. I had to write a 50,000 word novel in the 30 days of November, and even though it wasn't easy, I got it done. And this is the finished product. A day later than I told everyone, but now it's hear. And I'm very proud of it. :)**

**I meant to get the entire story into this one novel, but right at the beginning, I realized that wouldn't happen. So I think I'm going to split this into three stories. And this is the first part. Please try to ignore any lengthy discussions, or wasted time. When you do NaNoWriMo, you're just trying to get words. You're not trying to save your reader's sanity. But it's really not that bad. I actually thought it was a little too fast paced, but you, as my reader, will have to judge for yourself. :)**

**So the story is simple. It's about Anakin and Leia. But this first part is mainly about Anakin and Padme. We'll get a lot of Leia in the next two parts, trust me. But for now, enjoy a bit of Anidala. :)**

**Oh, yeah, and this is an alternate universe fanfic, so some things are turned around a bit. For example, the whole thing with Darth Vader. You'll have to read to understand.**

**If you want a preview of what the series will look like, head on over to my YouTube account (link on my FF page). I've got a couple trailers, plus a preview which I'll hopefully get done today. :)**

**Other than that, enjoy. I know I enjoyed making it. And to everyone interested in what happens to Ahsoka. Well, I don't know, but I gave it my best shot. :)**

**Enjoy!**

**{trinity6diversia}**

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><p><strong>Ahsoka<strong>

"Did you wish to speak with me, Master?"

Anakin was startled out of his reverie, not having sensed Ahsoka's approach until she was directly behind him. He whirled around, hand instinctively reaching for the lightsaber at his belt, before he managed to stop himself. Ahsoka could muffle the impression she made in the Force, a skill Anakin was glad she possessed, until she used it on him. Then, he had the tendency to get rather grumpy. Not this time. This time, he was irked and gladdened by it at the same time.

_At least she'll be able to take care of herself_, he thought, then passed a hand over his eyes and pushed himself upright from the wall he was leaning on.

"Yes," he said, staring downward at his feet for a moment before daring to look up. He met Ahsoka's eyes and, as if for the first time, noticed how blue they were. For a moment he just stared, before he caught himself and shook his head as if to clear the memory. _We're so alike_, he thought briefly, then pushed that notion aside and took a deep breath.

"Ahsoka, what are you doing?" The question almost sounded desperate, if Anakin Skywalker were capable of sounding that way. Ahsoka raised an eyebrow, but not as if she thought the question were ridiculous, but rather because she was surprised that it would even be asked.

"I thought I'd made it clear already," she said softly, tiredly.

"Not to me you didn't," was Anakin's heated reply, crossing his arms across his chest and averting his gaze. "It's so impulsive." He took another deep breath, a fire smoldering in his eyes as he tried to control his mood. "It's not you, Ahsoka."

"I might have said the same about you, Master," she calmly retorted. "Everything I've learned about the fearless Anakin Skywalker makes it hard for me to believe that he could go against the Order. Yet marrying a Senator and hiding it from… _everyone_… isn't exactly something I thought such a man to be capable of. It seems I was wrong."

"Stop rubbing it in, Ahsoka," growled Anakin, whirling away from her and walking back down the hallway. Ahsoka followed, more because she wasn't going to let him go so easily more than because she wanted to. Anakin could irk her, as he was doing now. But he never got away with it. "And never call me by my full name, if you know what's good for you. I'm tired of my name dominating who I am. It's always 'Anakin Skywalker did this and 'Anakin Skywalker did that'. It's never just me, as a person. I'm always the 'Hero with no Fear'. And I'm tired of it. Can't I be just a regular guy for once?"

"No," was Ahsoka's abrupt reply, stepping quickly in front of him and cutting him off. "Because you're not. You're a Jedi."

"So are you," Anakin reminded her, folding his arms across his chest for the second time as he tried to stare her down.

"I'm not the Chosen One," was Ahsoka's equally stubborn answer.

"But you're an asset to the Order."

"Not _this_ Order."

"And what does that mean? They're messed up, but who isn't? You're giving this all up, and for what?"

"For what is right." There was a pause as her Master regarded her, and Ahsoka could feel the conflict within him. "Can't you feel it?"

Anakin cast his eyes downward and did not reply.

"I see now, the corruption within the Republic," said Ahsoka after a moment, keeping her voice low to avoid unwanted ears from overhearing. "There is an evil that does not rest. I can feel it. And it has penetrated the Jedi Council. Soon, it will have taken over everything. I cannot remain in such a place, knowing as I do now that there are other ways." She paused again, but Anakin did not lift his eyes to meet hers. "You dared to defy the Council, Master, and as such, you have opened my eyes in a way that all of your training could not. Stay if you will, but I can do so no longer. I have more to live for than this."

Silence surrounded them both. Only when another Jedi passed them in the hallway did Anakin look up, and then he pulled Ahsoka to the side, keeping his voice low when at last he spoke.

"Where will you go?" he asked, his voice insistent as he tried to talk Ahsoka out of his plan of action. "The galaxy swarms with war. You can't escape it. And the Council will demand you relinquish all ties you have with the Order. You'll be entering into a dangerous world without the skills you need to survive."

"I'll get by," was the firm reply.

"Getting by means nothing if you don't survive."

"I'm not all helpless, Master," smiled Ahsoka grimly. "You have taught me well. Your radical methods of training may be for the better, come what may." She put a hand on Anakin's shoulder. "Don't worry."

"I'll always worry," retorted Anakin, trying to force a smile and failing in extraordinary fashion. "You're like a little sister to me. I feel like, if I don't take care of you, someone will be at me about it. Mostly myself."

"You worry too much, Master," laughed Ahsoka. "Who knows, maybe I'll go to Lux. I know he'd go out of his way to take care of me."

"And I'd go out of my way to make sure he keeps his filthy hands off of you," countered Anakin without hesitation, and Ahsoka knew he wasn't thinking of Lux being a Separatist. His only thought was that Lux was a man he'd have to deal with if he got too fresh.

"Come on, Anakin," laughed Ahsoka again, trying to get his gall up. "Could it be my real reason for leaving the Order is to make it impossible for you to track my love life?"

"Jedi don't have love lives."

"And yet _you_ do. How does that work?"

"Don't..." stammered Anakin, caught unaware, and not for the first time. "Don't… ask hard questions."

Ahsoka's laugh was one that Anakin hadn't heard in a long time, and he wished he could keep it going, but he knew he couldn't. His heart was too heavy for that. He once more started walking down the corridor, Ahsoka effortlessly falling into step beside him.

"As long as you're sure, Snips," was all he said, watching her out of the corner of his eye.

"I am, Master," she replied effortlessly, and no hint of doubt was on her face. "The Order has given me enough, and taken enough in return. I'm ready to be out of here, and on my own. And I know I can do great things. You've always said I could. I don't have to be a Jedi to change the galaxy, you know."

"And you'll do it, too," smiled Anakin, turning his eyes ahead and not looking at her. "If anyone can do it, you can." He stopped again, and put a hand on Ahsoka's shoulder. "I'm very proud of you, Snips. I always will be. And I'll miss you more than you can imagine. Promise me you'll take care of yourself."

Ahsoka smiled and tossed her head the way she typically did after proving a point.

"I always do, Master."


	2. Chapter 2: Shadow of the Future

**Chapter Two: Shadow of the Future**

"Ani, I want to have our baby back home on Naboo."

The voice startled Anakin out of his reverie and he quickly raised his head. Padmé sat down beside him on the couch, her hair falling down in cascades about her shoulders. She had traded her public attire for a comfortable gown and robe, as the nights on Coruscant were getting colder with the onset of winter as it slowly began to envelope the capitol city-planet. Or, at least, what might be considered winter. It only reached freezing temperatures occasionally, if you happened to be on top of one of the taller buildings. Still, it was cold, and after spending the entire day running from one place to another in frantic haste, the sudden drop in physical activity had left Padmé with a slight chill. She pulled her robe tighter, even as Anakin's eyes traveled from her bulging belly to her face, soft and pale in the moonlight, and her bright brown eyes staring at him. He'd never been as lost as he was now, gazing into those depths and slowly losing his grip with the mortal world.

"Anakin?" asked Padmé before he slipped too far. "Did you hear me?"

"What?" he asked, shaking himself and pulling away, suddenly aware that he'd been leaning toward Padmé all that while. He rubbed his eyes and looked back at her, shocked to find her eyes laughing at him, though her mouth remained firm.

"Where have you been, my dear man?" inquired Padmé in a soft, gentle voice, looping her arm around Anakin's and resting her head on his shoulder. "You seem more distant than usual. Did something happen during your mission?"

"Nothing more than usual," answered Anakin, carefully dislodging himself and pulling away from her in an attempt to avoid the question. He blinked, and Dooku's eyes, wide and frightened, a look he had never before seen on the Sith Lord's face, flashed in his mind. His own eyes snapped open and he gritted his teeth before turning back to Padmé, masking his emotions in an instant.

"So, what is it my beautiful wife needs this time?" he asked, smiling past the lump in his throat. "You are right. I wasn't listening."

"I knew you weren't," laughed Padmé, standing up and walking into his open arms. She wrapped her own around his waist and breathed deeply, allowing his mere presence to wrap her in a blanket of comfort and safety, the likes of which she'd not felt in a long time. She relaxed for the first time since he'd left five months earlier and buried her cheek further into his bare chest. Anakin stroked his fingers through her long hair and didn't try to speak any more, content to merely stand there with her in his arms. At last, Padmé pulled away.

"Ani, are you listening now?" she asked, her eyes suddenly serious. He nodded, not trusting himself to speak past the lump that stubbornly remained lodged in his throat.

"Good," she said, taking his hand and leading him out on the balcony. The fresh air cleared Anakin's mind and allowed him to think clearly for once.

"What's on your mind, Padmé?" he asked, leaning back against the railing and folding his arms across his chest. Padmé stood beside him, looking out at the city, one hand resting lazily across her expanding belly. She didn't answer for a moment, then sighed, turning to meet Anakin's gaze.

"This baby is a rather complicated matter, isn't it?" she asked, then tried to laugh good-naturally, failing remarkably. Anakin mouth twitched upward slightly, but he said nothing, just stood there, offering her that one steadfast ear to speak to. She sighed again, throwing away her composure and letting the hidden fatigue that had taken over her life, in turn take over her small body.

"I don't know what we're going to do, Ani," she said softly. "It was hard enough hiding our marriage, and worse trying to hide our feelings for each other. A great many people can guess, and then there are people like Obi-Wan, who aren't as easily fooled as they appear to be. And what about Ahsoka? She knew you better than anyone, and she saw everything you managed to hide from everyone else. She threw away her entire career in the Jedi Order just to save your image."

Padmé paused as that memory threatened to flood her already unstable emotions, and still Anakin said nothing. He had to force himself not to brood on that matter, as it was clear Padmé was not done speaking, and he had to listen. When she had composed herself, she met his eyes again.

"This baby will only confirm what many of them already guess," she said in a gentle but firm voice. "And if the Council knows for certain, every sacrifice Ahsoka and Rex, and everyone else…" She faltered, but caught herself in an instant. "…has taken. It will all be for nothing. You'll be expelled from the Order." Her voice fell to a whisper. "Shamed. Disgraced." She paused. "I know you, Anakin, and you wouldn't handle that, any more than losing your place as a Jedi." She took a deep breath. "You told me once that being a Jedi meant everything to you. Knowing that you had something that most people don't, and using that power to help those who would be helpless without it. You said it made you happy."

"It does," he said calmly.

"I know, Ani," said Padmé, smiling softly at him. "But you can't have both. Not if this gets out. You can either deny me and break my heart, or you can admit to everything and bring disgrace to your name. Would you give up everything just for me and our baby?"

"Yes," was his singular reply, before Padmé was even done speaking, and so unexpected was his film tone of voice that Padmé could say nothing. Anakin unfolded his arms and wrapped them around her in an attempt to convey all his love and passion through that one touch.

"Everything," he whispered into her hair. "I feel content as a Jedi. And I'm happy to have known people like Obi-Wan and Ahsoka. But I'm not as happy as I am with you. And someday, soon, I'll be a father, and I don't know if I could ever _not_ be content with that." He pulled her away enough so that he could look her straight in the eyes. "You are my everything, Padmé. I don't need to be a Jedi when I have you."

"You're just saying that," she said, a smile beginning to stretch the corners of her mouth. Anakin burst out in hearty laughter, his eyes glowing as he stared at her.

"You have so little faith in me," he chuckled, staring fondly down at her.

"Never," she whispered back.

Anakin gave her a squeeze then let go and returned to his place along the railing, folding his arms across his chest as he gazed at her.

"And what about you, my love?" he inquired. "With all this worrying you've done for me, I'm surprised you haven't thought about yourself. You forget your place in the Senate. If they find out you're married, and to a Jedi, no less, the Queen will ask you to step down. Would you?"

"Of course I would, Ani!" gasped Padmé, as if mortified by the thought that she would… _could_ place her job above her family.

"Just thought I'd ask," he grinned, and she realized he'd been teasing her the entire time. Anakin laughed again and Padme made sure to slap him on the arm. But her actions were not convincing, and Anakin was not fooled by them. He grabbed her arm and pulled her to him, leaning down to kiss her long and deep, and stretching out his senses to engulf her, even as she wrapped her arms around his neck to draw his mouth harder onto hers.

Suddenly, Padmé shivered and pulled away, drawing her robe tight about her. The night was getting colder and the wind on the balcony was edging on brutal. She sighed and rubbed her eyes, exhaustion threatening to take over, and without hesitation, Anakin reached down and lifted her into his arms. She shrieked at the unexpected lack of solid ground, then burst into laughter as he carried her indoors, using the Force to close the glass curtain to the balcony. Anakin smiled, knowing that no matter how much she fought, Padmé always loved his personalized attention to her. Padmé didn't fight tonight, for she was tired, and content in the arms of her husband. She leaned her head wearily on Anakin's shoulder as he walked slowly toward their bedroom, turning off the lights and locking the doors with the Force. When they had reached their destination, he gently set Padmé down on her feet, then took her hand and led her to the closet.

"What will it be tonight, my lady?" he inquired, sifting through the nightgowns which hung at one end of the closet.

"The thick one," answered Padmé, resting a hand on her belly as she shivered again. Anakin pulled the designated gown off the rack and helped Padmé out of her current attire, carefully slipping the nightgown over her head before she had a chance to be cold. He missed helping her get dressed. Perhaps because they rarely had the chance. Whenever they were alone together, the clothes were always coming off, and by the time they needed to go on again, Anakin was usually late for something and never had the chance to help Padmé with hers. He knew how ridiculous he would seem, to start rhapsodizing about how wonderful it was, putting clothes on his wife. But for some odd reason, it made him feel at peace.

When the nightgown had fallen into place, Padmé leaned up and kissed Anakin's cheek, almost seductively. With a backwards glance, she walked (_Or was that a flounce_, thought Anakin) to the fresher, closing the door behind her. Anakin shook his head, not caring in the least what his wife did to him, because he was to sure to love every moment of it. He turned back to the racks of clothes and located the one drawer designated for himself. There was his sleep attire, and one set of casual clothes worn when casual was necessary. Quickly, he slipped out of the clothes he wore now, remembering that they were not the same he had worn during the battle. After his brief stint at the Senate building, where he had learned of Padmé's pregnancy, he'd returned to the Temple to shower and get some new clothes. With a grim smile, Anakin remembered how, while away from Coruscant for extended periods of time, he often forgot to shower until Obi-Wan reminded him.

_Strange_, he thought to himself. _I never forget when I'm with Padmé._ He paused what he was doing for a moment to contemplate this. _Probably because she never lets me._ He smiled again, then left the closet and walked to their bed. Padmé was still in the fresher. He glanced at the closed door and couldn't resist stretching out with the Force to see what she was up to. What he saw was quite convincing, and he felt a tingle of anticipation course through his body.

Then Anakin turned back to the bed. He saw the pillows and the soft blankets, and through the curtained window that ran the length of the far wall, he could see the lights from the speeders as they passed by. He could almost feel the bitter wind outside, and shivered at the thought. Without thinking, he slipped between the sheets and pulled the blankets up to his chin, forgetting to discard his clothes like he normally did when he slept. And then his eyes closed, and he heard the door to the fresher open, and knew that Padmé was expecting him to make love to her, but the pillow was so soft, and the blankets were so warm, that he couldn't stop himself. _This feels so good_, he thought, then he drifted off to sleep.

Padmé quietly closed the fresher door and walked softly into the bedroom. She was expecting one of two things. Either a very alert Jedi, ready for whatever she had to give him, or a very asleep Jedi, ready to not be awaken. She was greeted by the latter, and in all honestly, she couldn't say she was surprised, or disturbed. She had waited patiently for this night, in hopes of the romance her young husband yearned to bestow upon her, but now that this night was finally here, she couldn't blame him for not doing it. They were both tired, he more so than her, or perhaps equally, just in different ways, and though she missed their nightlong love-making, she was strangely content to simply lay down beside him and have his mere presence lull her to sleep.

And so Padme did just that, carefully climbing into bed so as not to disturb him, and pulling the blankets up around her as she draped her arm over his chest. Anakin smiled in his sleep and turned on his side, pulling her to him. And the last thing she remembered before falling asleep was a soft voice in her ear saying the three words she cherished more than any.

_I love you_.


	3. Chapter 3: Visions in the Dark

**Chapter Three: Visions in the Dark**

Anakin woke suddenly. It was still dark, but the increased number of speeder lights outside the window told him it was getting toward morning. Padmé lay beside him, her arm having slid off his chest as she slept. He was thankful for that, since his sudden movement might have waken her. She stirred anyway, speaking his name in her sleep. Anakin brushed her hair away from her face and kissed her cheek, breathing soothing words of comfort into her ear and bringing the hint of a smile to her lips as she fell deeper into sleep. When he was sure Padmé hadn't noticed his state of wakefulness, Anakin carefully pulled the sheets away and slipped out of bed. He stumbled to the closet, stubbing his toe against the doorframe and whispering a string of curses which he successfully muffled behind tight lips. He didn't dare turn on a light as he fumbled about for his tunic, which he found and slipped on. With one last glance toward his sleeping wife, he left their bedroom and made his way toward her private sitting room, the reason for his restlessness coming back to mind.

Something was wrong. Something was very wrong. Whenever something was out of line, Anakin would know. He always knew. And the chances of him being right always overpowered the chances of him being wrong. Because, thus far, he'd never been wrong.

_Damn this Force sensitivity_, he cursed as he sat down on one of the couches and groggily rubbed his eyes. When he raised his head, memories and images involuntarily began flooding his mind.

Anakin saw his mother on the day he'd left her, thirteen years earlier, standing alone on a desolate world, with no future in sight, trying to be strong for her son as he made his way down the uncertain path that had opened before him. He saw her broken body as he'd found her a decade later, beaten and burned by those accursed Tuskan Raiders. And the smile on her face when she last looked on him, as if she'd waited her entire life for that moment. Then he felt the anguish that had torn his heart when she died there in his arms, and the hate, _that dreadful ice cold malice_, that had coursed through his body and directed his lightsaber into the souls of every single Raider in that camp. Then the long ride back to the Lars homestead, where he had cried his eyes out, only to force himself to stop for fear of what Padmé would think when she saw him. And then Padmé, with that stunned look on her face, when he told her what he'd done. Then more tears, this time accepted, and he remembered how they had torn his heart even deeper. And that loving body pressed up against his, with the hand brushing away the tears, and she had said nothing, knowing that her presence alone was all that he needed.

The tears began to fall again as these memories flooded Anakin's mind, and he bowed his head as more images flashed behind his closed eyes.

There was Padmé, an air of confidence about her, even as her hands were tied behind her back. She stood in that cart that would lead them into the execution arena, facing Anakin, and her face was set, and calm was in her eyes. And she had said those three words that Anakin had repeated over and over through the years. _I love you._ And no amount of strength and fortitude could stop the tears from welling in her eyes and spilling over as she said them. Then Anakin had leaned toward her and kissed the tears away, and their lips had met for what seemed like the millionth time, even though it was only the second. Into that kiss he had shared everything he could imagine, and she in turn had accepted all he had to offer.

Memories of the arena flashed in quick succession through his mind, and Anakin remembered Padmé's scream when the beast had sliced her, and the kiss he had been granted when she'd dropped down behind him on his own steed. Then there was her smile in the midst of the terror, and the energy that had seared through Anakin's body just by having her there with him. It had kept him focused, and he hadn't cared an ounce about who might see.

Then the shot that had sent Padmé off the edge of the transport, and for a moment Anakin had felt his heart tear to pieces again. That was the only moment he actually hated Obi-Wan, for pulling him away from her, and when she had raced into the hanger a short time later, after his arm had been sliced off by Dooku's blade, he nearly forgot the pain in his joy to see her. She had been by his side every chance she could, from that moment, all the way until the doctor's had released him following the surgery that had given him the mechanical arm he now wore. Obi-Wan had let her, for that Anakin was thankful, and asked for nothing in regard to answers. Anakin knew that Obi-Wan had warned Padmé about ending their relationship before it got too far, and for a while, Anakin feared Padmé had actually listened to him. Until she asked him to escort her back to Naboo, and that gleam, the same gleam he had seen many times before, had entered her eye.

Anakin proposed during that trip. With the streaks of hyperspace flashing by the ship, he had slipped out of the cockpit and caught her unaware in the passenger hold, pouring over a datapad from the Senate. He remembered wrapping his arms around her waist, the first time he'd been so forthright with her, and the squeak she had made before realizing who it was. Then the look on her face when he pulled the ring from his pocket. It was a simple ring, and he'd gone against the Code to save money for it, but it was the least he felt he could do for her. Then he had asked the question, and she never _had_ given him a straight answer, but simply pulled herself to him and pressed her lips hard to his. Then he remembered slipping the ring on her finger, and for a moment, drawn out of his memories, Anakin felt a tang of regret. Their secret had made it impossible for Padmé to wear her ring in public. She'd always kept it hanging beside the Japor Sippet around her neck, or tucked away in a box at the back of her closet. Anakin yearned for the day she could wear it openly. The day they no longer had to hide behind expressions that conveyed nothing of their feelings for each other.

Then Anakin remembered their wedding, and how beautiful she had looked, and frightened, knowing what the future would hold for them both. And their wedding night, where she'd looked even more beautiful, simply due to her lack of any and every form of clothing. Then waking up the next morning to find her in his arms. Anakin smiled through the tears at that memory, and how wonderful it had been to forget the world for a few days alone with her.

The Clone Wars had been hard on them both. Anakin had been away too much of the time, and Padmé had worked hard to keep the Senate in line. Their time together had been fleeting and often filled with passionate reacquainting of themselves. Occasionally, Anakin was issued an assignment to protect Padmé on Senate business off-planet. But they were only too often filled with turmoil and violence, and they rarely had a chance to spend any time together during such missions. Their time together in the public eye was never pleasant either, no matter how hard they tried to enjoy the circumstances.

And now yesterday, one of the hardest days of Anakin's life. He and Obi-Wan had burst out of hyperspace above Coruscant, and for a moment, all Anakin wanted to do was evade the battle and return home. But he had a job to do, and he knew Padmé was down on the planet gazing up at the battle and wondering if she would ever see him again. So he had done his duty, and done it in the way he did everything, with finality, almost to the bitter end. He remembered standing on the observation platform of the _Invisible Hand_, alone, for Obi-Wan had been given a mighty knock in the head a short time earlier and therefore was indisposed. The Chancellor's eyes were burning holes into him as Anakin stood there, blade crossed with Dooku's in red hot fire, close enough to hear the disgraced Jedi curse under his breath at him. He had the chance, then, to end the Sith Lord's life for good, a task he had longed to carry out for three years, when suddenly, he had caught a glimpse of the future. He saw Padmé, standing in her apartment, staring out a window in the direction of the Jedi Temple, a tired and sad look on her face. A single tear made it's solitary way down her cheek and she heaved a great sigh before turning away, out of his sight.

The hate Anakin felt suddenly melted into pity, and instead of ending the miserable excuse for a Sith Lord's life, he had forced the blade out of the old man's hand and sent him to his knees. There was admiration in Dooku's eyes then, mixed with fear, for he knew Anakin still had the power to take his life. And Anakin had brought Dooku's cast-off lightsaber to his hand and raised both blades to Dooku's neck, even as the Chancellor screamed for him to kill the degraded Sith. After a moment of steady staring, at which time Dooku realized his position had been compromised, Anakin had extinguished the blades and returned his lightsaber to his belt, tucking Dooku's into his belt to award to the Council.

"I'll keep your life," he had said. "But if you are fool enough to cross paths with me or anyone else who is part of this Republic again, I swear I'll tear your heart out."

The Sith Lord had wormed away moments later, with a fearful glance in the direction of the Chancellor, and when the _Invisible Hand_ went down shortly afterwards, he was not on board. Still, that look of fear on Dooku's face tore at Anakin's heart in a way he did not understand. Something was wrong, he felt it again. Something surrounded the Chancellor that was not healthy. To him and the galaxy. That fear Dooku held had not just been for Anakin, and there was only one other being on the observation deck when this confrontation occurred, who might have been able to do something about it. Anakin refused to believe the Chancellor could be a bad man, but his distrust of him was growing nonetheless.

Slowly, Anakin lifted his head and opened his eyes, gazing across the veranda toward the strip of light that was steadily growing on the horizon. For some reason, perhaps a distant memory that he had long since forgotten, he began thinking of Ahsoka. He remembered her laugh, and the way her eyes sparkled when she knew she was right, and he was too stubborn to admit it. He remembered how they would bicker, and how she would always be there when he needed her help, and vice versa. She had been like a sister to him, someone to take care of and watch out for. He'd taught her everything he knew, without holding back. One day, he knew, she would be great. She would be a bright light in the galaxy, in a way he'd never been. And in return, he had given her that shoulder to lean on, that ear to talk to, and that unfailing support that got her through every day.

Anakin Skywalker always had two women in his life. Padmé had been the one to steal his heart and keep him focused on the battlefield through the simple knowledge that she was waiting for him when he came home. Ahsoka had been the one on the battlefield, forcing him to focus, forcing him to think of others, keeping him in line. They had been the pillars he leaned on when he needed it most, and in turn, he'd loved and cared for them both. When Padmé needed to cry, Anakin would hold her in his arms and let her. And when Ahsoka needed to complain about the Council, he never said a word about it to anyone. His two women, for three years, his guiding lights.

_Why?_ he thought, staring unblinking at the great city outside the window. _Why did it have to be Ahsoka? What made her do it?_

He remembered the day vividly, even though it had been just as simple as any other time. They had been given a two day layover before they had to report to a Jedi outpost on the Outer Rim. Anakin had taken his leave almost as soon as their shuttle touched down at the Temple. To his utter surprise and annoyance, Ahsoka had quickly expressed her interest to go with him, in order to see her friend, the Senator Riyo Chuchi. Anakin had agreed, with the impression that, as soon as they got there, Ahsoka would leave to visit Riyo and he'd have a few moments alone with Padmé.

Therefore, with Ahsoka in tow, Anakin had made his way to the Senate building and, after parting ways with Ahsoka, was fortunate enough to find Padmé in her office, and not stuck in some meeting, or worse, a debate within the Senate. Anakin was grateful for that, since he often found himself worked up over politics. Padmé would tease him about it, for she was the politician of the two, and his behavior in that arena proved just how lucky the Republic was that he was a Jedi and not a member of the Senate.

Padmé's eyes had lit up as soon as she'd seen Anakin. He'd been met with a kiss and a fierce hug, then, as things started to heat up, Padmé had reached behind them and locked the door to her office. The Force had rung loud with the sound of the lock falling into place, and that small gesture was enough to make Anakin loose his normal resolve in regard to such matters, and so Padmé was able to carry him away with her intimate ministrations. They'd done something that day, in her public office, that Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala had never dared do before. Not that they regretted it. It was pleasant, to say the least, and a change from the normal way of things.

In the aftermath of these negotiations, when both were sprawled upon the settee, breathing heavily against one another, Anakin felt a disturbance in the Force. It wasn't a disturbance in the natural sense of the word, but rather a great shift that might have been acceptable if it had come at another time. Ahsoka's Force signature was clear in Anakin's mind, and it was coming closer. There was no doubt she was coming to Padmé's office, with or without an invitation. And she was in a mood. Anakin knew this in an instant, and he knew the reason as soon as he switched on his comlink and found half a dozen missed attempts from Ahsoka's end.

"Shit," he'd cursed, diving over Padmé and subsequently tumbling off the settee. His alertness was immediately replaced by panic, but he was sure he'd severed his bond with the Force and that much was a relief. At least Ahsoka hadn't caught anything she might not have understood. And that simple matter, he was sure, was enough to send her into a mood all by itself.

"Ani, what's the matter?" Padmé had asked, her own voice worried as she reached for the clothes he'd procured for her.

"It's Ahsoka," was all he said, then Padmé had uttered her own mild curses as she'd grabbed her clothes and rushed to her personal fresher. Anakin had opted for a quicker and more precarious route, hopping around on one foot as he struggled to get his clothes on in the middle of the office. Then Ahsoka was just outside the door, and he had only enough time to brush his disheveled hair back into place before there was a knock and her un-amused voice could be heard through the door.

"Master?" Anakin could tell she was gritting her teeth in annoyance and bit back a smile as he casually opened the door to her.

"Ahsoka!" He was feigning a laid back approach, and doing quite a good job of it. "It seems you've come at a bad time. The Senator is down with a nasty bit of stomach flu. You should talk to her about coming into work when she feels like that. I haven't gotten a word in edgewise since I came. She's pretty much been in the fresher the whole time."

_Liar_, had been Ahsoka's initial thought.

_Overkill_, had been Padmé's, from where she was overhearing the conversation within the fresher.

_Busted_, had been Anakin's, then Padmé had entered the office with narrowed eyebrows directed squarely at Anakin.

"Get it over with, flyboy," she'd said, taking a seat behind her desk, and Ahsoka had taken up a spot at the desk's end, matching Padmé's expression with one of her own. Anakin found himself cornered, and knew that Padmé really hadn't betrayed him, only given him an opening. Regardless, his amusement was lacking, and he gave her a look before turning to Ahsoka.

"Oh come on, Snips," he said at last. "Even Jedi get bored sometimes. Do you think I had a choice?" He passed a hand in gesture over himself. "What do you expect me to do, with all this raw… rawness?"

"Keeping it under cover would be a good start," answered Ahsoka without skipping a beat, and nodded toward his pants. "Your fly's undone."

Anakin's hand flew to his fly and it was up in an instant, even as Padmé burst into laughter. She was quick to silence herself before she got "the look". Still, her eyes laughed at him, and he returned with a glance of fiery vengeance. Ahsoka watched this performance with a face that bespoke a strong lack of amusement. But, regardless of what each person thought, it was clear that the mood was lightened, at least enough for civilized conversation to take place.

And that is just what they did.

Anakin pulled a chair up to Padmé's desk and motioned for Ahsoka to take it, which she did. Padmé remained where she was, hands folded on the desk in front of her, to keep her from drumming her fingers nervously. Anakin opted to stand, or rather pace, because he was sure he wouldn't be able to sit still even if he tried.

And so Anakin and Padmé told Ahsoka everything she'd rather not have heard. How they had first met, all those years earlier, and how many years afterwards, they had met again, and fallen deeply in love. How they had married following the Battle on Geonosis, and now were leading their separate lives, brought together only by the brief stints Anakin got back on Coruscant. And Ahsoka listened, her face slowly relaxing as she began to understand. And when they finished talking, a silence had enveloped them all, and Anakin remembered Padmé reaching over and taking his hand in hers. He had turned to her then, and smiled, a sad smile, for they both assumed this was the end. The Council would hear, and Anakin would be expelled from the Order, and Padmé would be dismissed in shame from the Senate. Then Ahsoka had cleared her throat and rose.

"I don't know what to say," she'd said, her own voice sad and troubled. "How can I admit this is wrong, when it's clear how much you both need each other? I wonder if things might have been different if you hadn't been together through it all. It makes me question my own desires." And both Anakin and Padmé knew she was referring to Lux Bonteri.

There was a moment of silence, then Ahsoka sighed.

"I'll say nothing of this to the Council," she'd said. "When they hear of it, they'll hear it from you, not me." Then she was gone, without another word, and neither of the other two knew whether to be happy or bewildered by this sudden turn of events.

Anakin came back to the present, noting that the edge of light on the horizon of Coruscant was growing. He glanced in the direction of the Jedi Temple and couldn't help but remember what had transpired afterwards. How Ahsoka had fought hard to control her emotions, which was not enough for the Council. Padawans who refused to open up to their Masters on issues that troubled them were punished accordingly. It was a way of teaching the older Padawan Learners to release all ties with emotions that might hinder their connection with the Force. Both Anakin and Obi-Wan despised the method. Even Master Yoda spoke against the Council to that regard. But, no matter how many Jedi Masters refused to implement that form of punishment, it was still a law in the Jedi Order, until the controlling figures on the Council sought to change it. And, despite his status on the Council, even Master Yoda couldn't change things without the approval of the majority.

And so Ahsoka was punished, for something she had not done. And she was put into meditational confinement, without access to the outside world, and when that refused to open her up, she was put in charge of a Clone division and sent to the Outer Rim. Anakin had convinced Obi-Wan to go against the Council and help him bring Ahsoka back, and when she had returned, for a brief moment the Council had pity on her. But their treatment of her could not be easily cured, and her opinion, not only of the Jedi Order, but the entire Republic, was faltering.

"How can this be legal?" she'd once raged, when she was alone with Anakin. "Who do they think they are?"

"You could just tell them," he'd suggested, trying hard to cover the pained hint in his voice.

"Yeah?" she had demanded. "And how would that help any of us? As soon as they find out, you're as good as dead. You'll be expelled from the Order. And me? Same diff. They'll throw me out just because I tried to cover up for you."

"You don't have to, Ahsoka," Anakin tried again. "Why you're doing any of this in the first place is beyond me."

"Oh, please," sighed Ahsoka in an exacerbated tone. "Do you think so little of me, Master? That I would simply let you have it, when I know I'm the only one who is aware of your little secret. And it's not a bad secret, either. In fact, I think it's done wonders for you. Why would I want to ruin that, for both you and Padmé? When we both know these pig-heads deserve a knock in the brain from time to time?"

Anakin had tried very hard not to smile just then, but he would have if Ahsoka hadn't been so aggravated by everything.

And then she had made her decision. She was tired of hiding, almost as tired as Anakin was, and she felt her relationship with her Master ebbing as events transpired. Anakin noted that her level of toleration was much lower than his, or else she just had her priorities straight. He guessed it to be the latter, since Ahsoka was a very practical person who was also very calm. It made him question his own priorities.

With Anakin and Obi-Wan's help, Ahsoka came before the Council and asked to be released from the Order. Their reply astounded all three of them. Ahsoka was banned from asking such a thing, and as such, would not be allowed to leave the Order under any circumstance. She was appalled, and angered, and for her behavior, was returned to meditational confinement. After that, Obi-Wan was more than willing to help her in any way he could, and with his assistance, Anakin managed to arrange an escape, that would put neither of them in the spotlight, but would get Ahsoka free. And so one night, a night without moon or stars, a small Jedi starfighter, with all markings painted over, shot away from Coruscant and was never seen again. And bitter had that parting been.

A single shaft of sunlight slipped out of the smog that covered the horizon and lit up the veranda where Anakin now sat. It was well over seven months since Ahsoka had departed. If it had been allowed by the Order, Anakin might have assumed the Council was taken by wrath at this turn of events. They sent Clone reconnaissance to scour the galaxy, and since Anakin and Obi-Wan were suspects, the Council kept them both on Coruscant. As such, Anakin was not there when his battalion was severely crippled in a Separatist attack, and Captain Rex was killed. When the battalion returned, a clone came to Anakin and told him the truth of the matter, that Rex had simply disappeared, saying he had someone he'd made a promise to. And Anakin knew that someone was his former Padawan.

_At least she'll be safe with him_, he remembered thinking at the time.

Suddenly, Anakin felt a cloud of shadow pass over his heart. He missed Ahsoka terribly, and he blamed himself for her leaving. If he hadn't gone against the Code, if he hadn't thought of himself above others in a single moment of weakness, she would have never known. And she might have stayed. The pain was almost too much, and he broke down into tears once more, curling up inside himself and closing all contact he had with the Force.

For several minutes, Anakin was fine with merely cry. Then he opened up to the Force just enough to check on Padmé, and found her stirring in her sleep, and searching for him in the depths of her dreams. Not wanting to wake her with his not being there, Anakin sent a tendril of the Force over his sleeping wife to sooth her back into slumber. She sighed contentedly and sought no more as warm dreams enveloped her.

_What the heck am I doing up in the first place? _thought Anakin suddenly, standing and pacing to the edge of the veranda, his brow furled as he tried to remember. Then it hit him, almost with the force of a lightning bolt.

It had been a dream.

Yes, a dream. That was it.

It had terrified him, that much was true, but he couldn't remember why. He'd mostly been irritated by how contorted it had been, almost like two different sides had been pulling at it, trying to get it going in the way they wished it to. What he'd managed to see had been vague, almost like he'd been viewing it through a vast expanse of muddy water.

He'd seen death. Or at least, felt death. He couldn't see much, in all honesty. Then he remembered an explosion. A large explosion, not massive, but big enough to do quite a bit of damage. And there had been a cry, almost of anguish, as if someone's soul were being torn out, not physically, but mentally. And he heard Padmé's voice whispering the words, "I'm sorry." He'd tried to answer her, in the depths of his mind, but he couldn't, as if his mind couldn't connect to his mouth to form the words. His heart was breaking, steadily ripping apart, and he was loosing all sanity when…

There was a cry. A… a baby's cry. Followed by a girl's voice calling out, "Daddy!" And he knew in his heart that that call had been meant for him. Again he tried to speak, and again he couldn't, but not because of his mind not working right, but because his heart was breaking too much. And he'd heard Padmé's voice again, barely a whisper, saying his name.

Then he'd woken up.

Anakin heaved a shaky breath at the memory and let his head fall into his hands, almost wishing Padmé were there with him. She would have held him and stilled his shaking. She had that effect.

_But it wouldn't change things in that dream_, Anakin thought to himself, gazing back at the horizon as a single ray of light slipped out at last and fell over the veranda. He took a deep breath and tried to sort the dream out as best he could.

Death. He knew it was death. And what was worse, he knew it was Padmé's death. He didn't know how, or when. He was almost certain their child would survive, and that thought gave him comfort. But the thought of losing Padmé left him weak and hopeless. He knew he couldn't live if Padmé died. But still he wondered. Was this some device of the enemy to tempt him? The struggle in his mind was not of his own doing. Something was trying to tear him apart, of that he was certain, and yet something else was trying to avoid that happening. Someone was out to get him, and suddenly, all Anakin could think about was Padmé, and their child, and the knowledge that he had to get away. He had to leave Coruscant, and he had to take her with him.

_I've got to speak with Obi-Wan_, thought Anakin suddenly, turning away from his observation of the city. He amazed even himself, from time to time, whenever he managed to go from calm meditation into full-fledged action with barely a moment to think. At least, it had once amazed Ahsoka. He smiled grimly at the memory, as he strode from the sitting area and bounded up the stairs to the bedroom where Padmé continued to sleep.

Astonishingly so, for someone as tall and muscular as he was, Anakin managed to make very little noise as he slipped into the closet and changed into his proper Jedi regalia. He made sure to fold up his sleep clothes so Padmé wouldn't have to, and knowing she would be proud of him for the effort, he went ahead and combed his hair with an actual implement for just such undertakings. Then, suddenly inspired, he delved into Padmé's drawer of perfumes and searched until he had found the one, small bottle near the back. It was a cologne Padmé had bought for him on their first anniversary, when they'd been lucky enough to get away for two full weeks. She'd been crazy about it, but since then, Anakin hadn't dared touch it. Obi-Wan would have been on him in an instant, eyes glaring as he sought answers he knew Anakin would never give him.

With a devilish grin, Anakin took the bottle of cologne and slipped into the bedroom. Casting a quick glance in Padmé's direction, he blotted a few drops of the intense liquid onto his pillow, then returned it to the stash. Casually, he returned to the bedroom and slipped around to Padmé's side, leaning over to kiss her softly on the cheek. As he pulled away, two thin arms reached up to wrap securely around his neck, and he smiled to himself, knowing that this leave-taking wasn't going to be without a fight.

"I love you," he whispered into her ear, kissing it softly and tracing a line down her neck to her exposed shoulder. Padmé sighed and relaxed her grip, letting her hands travel down his chest, obviously perturbed that it wasn't bare to her touch. Her hands dropped to the sheets again and she curled them up under the pillow, flipping over as much as her belly would allow.

"Be safe," she whispered, eyes still shut, and Anakin had to try hard not to laugh. It was clear Padmé had no idea what she was doing. Only when she was in the unconscious state did she ever let Anakin leave with such a casual parting comment. He shook his head and stood up, almost sad to think of not getting an outright kiss from his wife this morning, and turned toward the door. As he did so, a strong hand grabbed his and pulled him back to the bedside, and when he looked down at Padmé's face, Anakin saw those bright brown eyes staring at him, and those beautiful lips curled up in a hearty laugh. His lips met hers in a passionate union, and for a moment, it seemed like his objective at the Temple wouldn't be met anytime in the near future.

"Oh, Ani," whispered Padmé when she pulled away to catch her breath. "Did you really think you could just slip away?"

"I was hoping," he whispered back, leaning in for another kiss, which Padmé whole-heartedly allowed. He pulled away a moment later. "Something's come up. I need to meet with Obi-Wan. I'll try not to be too long."

"You'd better not. I need a little something from you. And you, I'm certain, won't live long without a little… _tidbit_ from me."

"Don't tempt me, love," he laughed, standing up and pulling out of her arms before he lost all control of himself.

"What time is it?" asked Padmé then, turning onto her back and staring at the ceiling.

"The sun's just up," said Anakin, pulling his Jedi robe on as he spoke. "You have a few hours before you've got to be up and at it, so try to get some more sleep. I think I'll grab breakfast with Obi-Wan, so don't wait for me."

"I'll always wait for you, my love," smiled Padmé, turning to him once more. "Be safe."

"You know I always am," he whispered with a smirk, dipping down to kiss her once more. "Take care of yourself."

Padmé smiled secretively at him and Anakin shook his head, turning away before he never got the chance to leave. At the door, a small article of clothing landed on his shoulder and he picked it off, blushing fiercely when he noticed it was Padmé's panties, presumably relinquished within the past few seconds. She laughed from the bed when he turned back to her. With a glare, he threw the panties in her direction and growled like a feral beast.

"You're going to pay for that," he snarled from behind clenched teeth, all the while wondering if the Republic would _really_ fall if he was a little late.

"I welcome the opportunity," Padmé laughed, then just smiled.

"I'll be back," promised Anakin, slipping out of the room before any more clothing was sent in his direction. As he left, he heard Padmé laugh again, and shook his head, unable to stop the smile from spreading across his lips.

When Anakin was gone, and Padmé could no longer hear him stumbling about in the inner sitting area, she sighed and leaned back into her pillow, staring at the ceiling in silent contemplation. Her hand moved lazily over her belly. A small kick surprised her, but her face immediately softened when she thought of their child. She wondered if the baby missed Anakin as much as she did whenever he left. Turning onto her side, she stared at the empty spot beside her, wishing he were there right then, romancing her the way she always loved it. Without thinking, she reached over and grabbed his pillow, bringing it to her face, expecting the usual scent of his desirable body. She laughed when she breathed in a nose-full of cologne which set her heart racing. She suddenly hoped he'd not gotten it on his hands, or else Obi-Wan would never let him hear the end of it. Then she relaxed into the pillow, welcoming the smell, and was asleep in an instant.


	4. Chapter 4: Convergence

**Chapter Four: Convergence**

Anakin was always amazed with the sheer size of the Temple. He shouldn't have been. Padmé's residences were nothing short of incredible when it came to size and complexity. After all, she had been the Queen of Naboo for much of her life. She'd gotten used to living the easy life, whether she enjoyed it or not. And that was the life Anakin had found himself in, once they were married. Then, of course, once the Council decided to let their more responsible Jedi have their own homes outside the Temple, Obi-Wan had insisted on buying a spacious pad in the lower reaches of the city. It was just one big room, with two open sleeping lofts on either side of it, and an echo which drove Anakin crazy. Of course, Anakin had moved in with his Master, since it was a free place to sleep that wasn't the Temple. Thankfully, Ahsoka had already left when all this happened, and Anakin didn't even try to imagine what would have happened if she'd stayed.

_Padmé would have given her a bunk_, he thought. _Yeah, that would have gone over really well, as far as the Council was concerned._

Either way, Anakin rarely stayed the night at Obi-Wan's place, unless he and Padmé just happened to get into an argument. Sometimes, too, she would work late or be out of town, at which time Anakin had no choice. He figured spending an evening with his all-too-serious mentor was better than the blaring quiet of the Temple, and the ever-present chance of Master Windu popping in for a little "talk", otherwise known as a "lecture".

Regardless, Anakin lived in a big world, whether he was staying with Padmé or Obi-Wan. And still the Temple never ceased to amaze him. When he was younger, he'd once walked straight into Master Shaak-Ti, simply because he was trying to see how far back he could arch his neck to stare up at the ceiling of one of the halls.

The same hall he was now walking down. But this time, he wasn't studying the ceiling far ahead, or the massive windows casting the first rays of dawn onto the thinly carpeted floors, or the gigantic pillars which held the tresses up. This time, he was trying very hard not to run, and forcing himself to take deep breaths to calm his mind. The dream had terrified him. That, and Padmé's parting gift, which still sent tingles of anticipation down his spine. Nevertheless, when at last he'd reached Master Kenobi, standing calmly in one of the window bays, Anakin was as composed as he'd ever been, though his mind continued to whirl mercilessly.

"Anakin." Obi-Wan didn't turn away from the window, having already sensed his former Padawan's approach. "You should heed your training a little more carefully. I could sense your anxiety the moment you touched down."

"Master," acknowledged Anakin, bowing anyway. "Forgive me."

Obi-Wan turned then, and started back in the direction Anakin had come, motioning for his counterpart to join him. Anakin did so, choosing to wait for his Master to speak than to launch directly into his reasons for being there at all.

"You're up early this morning," observed Obi-Wan as they walked, watching Anakin from the corner of his eye. "That, or you haven't slept at all."

"I have slept, Master."

"Oh?" inquired Obi-Wan, raising an eyebrow as he willingly let slip the suspicion in his mind. "And where did you sleep, Anakin? You hadn't come back when I turned in last night." It wasn't a question.

"Master, you don't have to…" started Anakin, before Obi-Wan cut him off with a defensive lift of his hand.

"I don't," he said quickly. "I'm not concerned about what you do with your free time, Anakin, unlike some _others_ I know." Anakin had to keep himself from laughing, knowing _exactly_ who Obi-Wan was referring to. "But I _do_ notice." _That_ brought him back to earth.

"Of course, Master," Anakin said soberly.

"So where were you?"

Anakin should have known he wouldn't get away so easily. But he was quick to answer, in an attempt to dissuade any of his Master's suspicions. And he began with a sigh, to further solidify his excuse.

"I went down under, Master," was his simple reply. "To a bar in that… racy part of town. I, um, drank a little. Passed out cold." He paused, then admitted sheepishly. "They kicked me about an hour ago."

"Recovered quickly, have we?" observed Obi-Wan with another raised eyebrow.

"The head of the night-life in that particular bar took pity on me," answered Anakin with hardly a hesitation. "She sobered me up with copious amounts of hot tea as soon as I woke up. It helped to ease the, uh, concussion."

"Oh, for goodness sake, Anakin!" exclaimed Obi-Wan, slapping his head with his hand as he grimaced. "All these years of training, and you're still as bad a liar as you ever were. Looks like we need to get back to square one."

"Fine," surrendered the young Jedi Knight, raising his hands in submission. "You want the truth? I'll give you the truth." He paused, and Obi-Wan favored him with rapt attention. "I was out. And that's all you need to know."

"That's more like it," laughed Obi-Wan, shaking his head and ignoring the sinking feeling in his heart at the thought of another conversation passing without getting the hint of a confession out of his former apprentice. He knew Anakin was hiding something. The comment he'd made about the boy being a terrible liar had, in itself, been a lie. Anakin had never been open, and had always done a fabulous job of covering up his emotions. Obi-Wan was just sorry it had to be that way.

"Breakfast, Master?" asked Anakin then, pulling Obi-Wan from his thoughts.

"Why not?" was the Jedi Master's simple reply. "Away from the Temple, if possible."

"Of course." Anakin smirked and Obi-Wan just rolled his eyes, trying hard not to laugh at how well he and his former Padawan understood each other.

"I was surprised when I got your call," said Obi-Wan, the first words they'd spoken to each other since walking into _Dex's Diner._ They'd been too busy eating to care about anything else, and now that the food was devoured, Obi-Wan was slightly ashamed of himself. After all, it had always been Anakin's place to inhale the food placed before him, and the food of others, if possible. Obi-Wan had never thought he'd do the same at some point. And now, he was pushing his empty plate away and staring across the table at Anakin, as the young man leaned back with a contented sigh. Obi-Wan himself didn't think he could move until his breakfast had a chance to disintegrate, so he was taking this moment to address the issue that was obviously at hand.

"I hope I didn't wake you, Master," apologized Anakin, suddenly serious.

"Of course not," smiled Obi-Wan good-naturally. "I needed to get up anyway." He paused, surprised when Anakin didn't give him a good banter for that comment. "I just didn't expect you to beat me to it. Honestly, Anakin, did you get _any_ sleep last night, wherever you were?"

"Of course I did, Master," he answered in a relaxed tone. "I just woke up early. As a result of… abnormal circumstances. Dreams, to be more specific."

"Nightmares, I'm assuming," was Obi-Wan's dry response.

"Ditto."

"And they weren't pleasant, I'm also going to assume."

"Not normally, no."

Obi-Wan leaned back and folded his arms in front of him.

"Were they disturbing? As in, leaving you with a feeling of dread sort of disturbing? Or just… abnormal?"

Anakin furled his brow as he thought, trying to figure out how best to describe his reaction to this particular dream.

"It was painful. The images and emotions were painful. But I didn't react to them as much as the feeling that I was in the middle of a conflict between opposing sides. My mind was the center-ground of some battle between good and evil. And when it was over, all I could think about was the fact that I needed to get away. That, if I stayed, I would be in danger. Someone would use me for their own plans. I guess I was unsettled more by that idea, than the contents of the dream."

There was a moment of silence between them. Obi-Wan didn't move a muscle, though his brow slowly furled in it's own way, and his beard drooped in the way it did when he was thinking really hard. Anakin stirred his coffee contemplatively.

"Master Yoda didn't sleep at all last night."

Anakin looked up at the unexpected sound of Obi-Wan's voice, proof that he'd been having deep thoughts again. He was only startled during a normal talk when he wasn't paying attention to the other end of the conversation.

"What do you mean?"

"What I mean, Anakin," started Obi-Wan slowly. "Is that Master Yoda came to me as soon as I arrived at the Temple this morning. I've never seen him look as weary as he did then. He said he was afraid for you, and that's all he would say. I could sense that his mind was deeply troubled, and then when you called to say you needed to speak with me, I wondered if that had anything to do with it." He paused. "I get the feeling that the events of last night are coming full circle." He took a swig of his own coffee, then shook his head and looked up at Anakin. "We'll have to speak to Master Yoda about this."

"I agree," said Anakin, drowning his coffee in several mighty gulps. The waitress droid was at their table in an instant to refill the mugs. Obi-Wan couldn't help but smile at this form of service, one of the several things he liked about _Dex's_.

"Master," started Anakin slowly, as soon as the droid had left them again. "There's something I need to tell you." He paused, staring at an invisible spot on the surface of the table. "It goes along with what happened last night and… I'm not going to say it's an easy thing to talk about. Because it's not." He took a deep breath. "Ahsoka knew. She was the only one. I never told anyone else, and she found out by default. But… I want to tell you now because I need your help. And I know you'll keep an open mind about it, because that's one thing you've learned how to do in the past thirteen years I've been your apprentice." He grinned, but his eyes remained troubled. "I shouldn't have kept it from you at all, except I was afraid of how you'd take it. And…"

"Anakin."

Startled into silence, the young Jedi looked up into the hard eyes of his Master.

"What?"

"Quit beating around the bush and just tell me already."

"I'm trying to, Master."

"Not very hard, you're not."

"Fine, then. You want me to get to the point, I will. Just promise you'll wait to kill me until we get out of here. We wouldn't want Dex to have to clean up our mess, now would we?" He narrowed his eyes in a sly smile.

"Anakin…" growled Obi-Wan in the way he normally did when he was giving his former apprentice one last chance before he pounced.

"Alright." Suddenly, Anakin was very serious, and it startled Obi-Wan enough to soften up a little. This was definitely not the usual way of things. Anakin rarely turned serious, and now Obi-Wan had seen it happen several times already, and it wasn't even past breakfast time. He decided he'd wait, and give Anakin all the time he needed. The situation was clearly growing more complicated with every passing minute.

"Master," started Anakin again, folding his hands on the table and staring steadily at them as he tried to keep a fairly calm demeanor. "I, uh, have a confession. And it has to do with a personal life I know I'm not supposed to have." He dared to glance up, and Obi-Wan's unyielding calm was enough to give him the confidence to keep going. "Which includes Senator Amidala." He paused. "I suppose you might have already guessed that."

Obi-Wan nodded slowly, because he thought he should, though in truth, he was startled by the fact that Senator Amidala would even be mentioned in this conversation. He should have known better, he knew that. And he felt his heart sink as he guessed what Anakin might say next. Even so, he wasn't prepared for it when it did come.

"Padmé, in simple terms, ignored your warning after the Battle of Geonosis. Well, even if she'd done what you asked her, at least _I_ would have ignored it. And, to be honest, I don't think she can control her natural reaction to me." He smirked, hoping his cockiness would soften up the mood. It really didn't, and he fell solemn once more. "We, uh, made it to Naboo. And we…" He sighed, rubbing a hand over his eyes, then took a deep breath, deciding to throw away caution and get it over with. "Master, Padmé is my wife. We got married. I'm her husband."

Deflated, Anakin sagged back against his seat and rubbed his temples, a sudden headache threatening to overpower him. He took another deep breath, choosing to focus on the pain in his head instead of meet Obi-Wan's gaze. Obi-Wan, meanwhile, knew his mouth was open in speechless shock, but he couldn't care less. He stared at Anakin and couldn't quite believe what he'd just heard.

"Alright, let me clarify," said Anakin suddenly, sitting back up, the headache either gone or forgotten. "I went against the Order. I broke pretty much every law they ever laid down. And some they haven't even come up with yet." He shook his head. "I did something for myself for once, and I don't regret any of it. Yes, I made a mistake, and yes, I'm sorry if I hurt you, but Padmé completes me. And I her. And I'll never let her go. I can't live without her." He took another deep breath, suddenly noticing that his hands were shaking. Obi-Wan hadn't moved, and for a moment, Anakin was afraid he'd passed out sitting up. "Master, good gosh, close you're mouth already!"

"What?" gasped Obi-Wan, closing his mouth and passing a hand over his face. "Oh yes, the situation has… uh… things are…" He paused, taking a few deep breaths before meeting Anakin's stare. "What in the bloody hell have you done, Anakin?"

"What can I say?" The man in question opened his hands in submissive admission, grinning that sheepish grin he used so often. It was clear his Master hadn't lost his usual reaction to things, and that, at least, was reassuring. "She can't get enough of me."

"Bloody hell," cursed Obi-Wan again, under his breath, glancing away and then back again. "And vice versa, too, I suppose?"

"Of course, Master," smirked Anakin. "You can't have it one way and not the other."

"Yes, well, as things would have it, I _didn't_ know that, but I should have guessed you'd be quite knowledgeable of such things." He took another breath, this one in an attempt to calm himself. "I guess you're too far gone to save now, so I don't see much use in trying."

Suddenly, Obi-Wan nodded, and Anakin was surprised to see a slight admission of defeat in that nod, as well as a raising of an eyebrow as a thought quickly occurred to the Jedi Master.

"I will admit, Anakin, if what you say is true, I suppose I should be thankful. You actually married the girl. That's a touch higher than can be said for many, especially within the Senate. They think an extramarital affair is as good as it gets. You took some initiative and actually made it official. Well, as official as you'd allow it to be. Congrats." He raised his coffee mug, leaning casually in his seat, though Anakin wasn't fooled by the posture. "So, my young apprentice, here's to whatever this is that your training brought about."

"I'll have a drink to that," grinned Anakin, raising his own mug, then downing the contents in a single gulp.

"Good Force, I never thought I'd see the day," growled Obi-Wan into his mug, trusting in luck that his former Padawan wouldn't hear.

"Of course you didn't, Master," grinned Anakin, giving his Master the look that normally said it all, and Obi-Wan wanted to send a few curses in the direction of the Council, for sticking him with this boy in the first place. "But you should have seen it coming."

"I _should_ have." Obi-Wan paused, and his face relaxed wearily as he set his mug down on the table. "But I didn't." Then the mood became serious once more.

Anakin set his mug down slowly, staring at it thoughtfully. He was only pulled from his thoughts when the waitress droid came back. He glanced at Obi-Wan, who was absentmindedly scratching designs into the tabletop with his fingernail, then turned back to the droid, waving it away before it had refilled their mugs. Coffee was good, when Padmé brought it to him in bed on the first day back from a long mission. When he needed to think, he usually opted for something stronger, that wouldn't foggy his senses. At least, right at first.

"So," started Obi-Wan, just as Anakin pushed his mug away and leaned back again. "You're a married man. And now that we've gotten that out of the way, I'm curious what this has to do with your dream last night."

"Everything, I guess," said Anakin in turn, glancing away before he turned back and met his Master's eye. "It was about Padmé. About her death, at least that's what I came to think. And…" He stopped abruptly, his eyebrows narrowing as he realized the other detail he'd not told Obi-Wan. Then, suddenly, he was back in the position he'd been several minutes earlier. "Shit." He tapped his fingers contemplatively on the tabletop, then glanced up at Obi-Wan. "How much are you willing to take this morning, in regard to, uh, confessions, Master?"

"Why?" asked Obi-Wan, narrowing his eyes dangerously.

"No reason," said Anakin quickly, leaning forward again and brushing the subject aside. Obi-Wan eyed him a moment longer, but decided not to press the issue. He'd find out soon enough. "But, anyway, about this dream…" He paused, turning grim once again. "I can't understand it. I felt like I was watching everything transpire underwater. I could… feel… this current, or something, pulling me all over the place. One minute, things would lighten, then the next, I'd be yanked back and find myself in deep, dark despair. I was terrified more by a sense that something was wrong than the dream itself. And you know me, Master. That just doesn't happen."

"Hmmm…" said Obi-Wan, the concern evident on his face, then sighed as he mulled the situation over in his head. "That's the most disturbing part, I will agree. And all the more disturbing because of Master Yoda's condition this morning. He came to me, alone, which is strange, considering he normally calls the Council together if there is a shift in the Force. And he looked old, far older than I've ever seen him. He looked at me, and I saw a weariness in his eyes, and he said, 'Grave danger I fear, for your Padawan.' And that is all he said." He rubbed his beard slowly, the worry evident in his face, and he didn't even try to hide it.

"Danger," was Anakin's slow response, more to himself than to Obi-Wan. "I felt it also, Master. It was not Master Yoda telling me to get away. It was my own instincts, telling me to take Padmé and leave Coruscant. Which…" He paused, eyeing his Master cautiously. "…is why I wanted to see you. I figured you wouldn't like it if I just left, and you'd want a reason anyway."

"You've given me plenty of reason, Anakin," smiled Obi-Wan, but his smile was noticeably forced. "I see I cannot hold you back, and right now, I don't want to. If Master Yoda senses it, then I have no reason to doubt you. Regardless, I wouldn't have. You are like a brother to me, Anakin, and I trust you. If your instincts tell you to take Padmé away from here, than do it. Forget about the Jedi for a moment, Anakin, and take care of your wife. _That_ should be your first priority."

"Your understanding cannot be thanked in words, Master," whispered Anakin, for though the words had been simply put, they had touched him. For a moment, silence reigned between them, until Obi-Wan stirred and glanced toward the bar, signaling for the waitress droid.

"We'll take two large bottles of Utapaun rum," he said in a deflated voice, and then there was silence again, until the droid returned with the two bottles, setting one in front of each man. Anakin stared at his bottle for a moment, then picked it up and drowned the contents in several gigantic swigs. Obi-Wan attempted to do the same, but choked around the lump in his throat, gasping it down instead.

"It grows on you, Master," said Anakin, his voice full of empathy, but there no hint of mirth in his words.

"So does the news of your forbidden personal life," groaned Obi-Wan grimly, trying to act amused, though he couldn't manage to bring a smile to his face. He signaled for the droid again, ordering another bottle for each of them. When these came, they, too, were drowned within seconds, and another couple were ordered.

It didn't take long for warmth to blossom in Anakin's stomach, and he found himself grinning involuntarily, suddenly thankful that he'd eaten a good breakfast and that his alcohol tolerance was higher than most. Across from him, Obi-Wan started bursting out in sudden spasms of chuckles, and when the second round of rum had been disposed with, both men thought themselves fairly well off, the pressures of their discussion beginning to fade.

"We'd better stop," suggested Anakin when the droid came to retrieve their bottles, and Obi-Wan was still alive enough to take his meaning. He waved the droid off and requested the check as soberly as he could.

"Let's just hope they don't call an emergency session of the Council anytime soon," snorted Obi-Wan when they finally stumbled out of their booth and toward the door. "Master Windu might not be amused by this."

"I just realized something!" gasped Anakin, laying a hand heavily on Obi-Wan's shoulder and trying hard not to burst into laughter. "We should have brought Master Yoda."

"We will," promised Obi-Wan as he searched for the switch to open the door of the diner, forgetting that it had an old-fashioned handle instead of a sensor. "Next time." A customer happened to walk up then and opened the door for them. "Tonight." They stumbled out into the cool air, both doubled over in laughter at the idea.

"Stop it, Master, stop it!" choked Anakin, trying hard to catch his breath as Obi-Wan was hit with another wave of merriment. The young Jedi Knight took several deep breaths in an attempt to calm himself, leaning on Obi-Wan as he did so.

"Why?" puffed Obi-Wan as they staggered off in the direction of the parking garage. "I haven't felt this good since that time we got drunk with those pirates!"

"Yeah, but we had nothing to do that time," gasped Anakin, snorting back another burst of laughter. "Let's face it. It's not even eight hundred hours and we've already gone off the deep end. And just so you know, I have every intention of getting back to Padmé as soon as we're done here. And if she sees me like this, well, let's just say…"

"The sex will be better, my boy," slurred Obi-Wan, pounding Anakin on the shoulder heartily. "Just trust me on that. I don't know how, but I'm sure it will be better."

"Well of course, Master," grinned Anakin. "But the wife won't be. She hates it when I drink."

"So don't drink."

"Damn!" exclaimed Anakin, slapping his face with his hand. "Why didn't I think of that before? I just won't drink." They walked together in silence for a moment, each feeling a little groggier than they had a moment before as the rum continued to strengthen on them. "Wait a second, Master. What… what exactly did we just do in there?" He staggered about, pointing vaguely in the direction of _Dex's Diner_.

"Oh yeah," groaned Obi-Wan, and he tripped, narrowly avoiding a face-plant before Anakin caught him. "I guess that defeats the purpose, right?"

"Master, you know, I think I just had a brilliant idea."

"Do share, my young _poodoo-whopper_."

"I'll ignore the insult, _geezer-grosser_."

"Shut up."

"You first."

"Not until you tell me this brilliant, or not so brilliant, idea."

There was silence as they stumbled into the parking garage, narrowing avoiding a collision with a group of female aliens headed in the direction of the diner. They stared at the two drunk Jedi in horror, but Anakin politely bowed, nearly loosing his footing, and they continued on their way laughing at the immature display. Neither Jedi realized that they might, just _might_, be giving a bad name to the entire Order. Not that either of them cared just then.

"As I was saying, Master," slurred Anakin as they tried in vain to find his speeder. They were finding the task quite difficult. "I'm under the impression we're inebriated. And, I don't know about you, but I can't see how in bloody hell I can fly anything when this whole place is spinning as much as it is. So…" He lifted a finger pointedly. "…I propose we contact my lovely wife, and ask her to come pick us up. Brilliant? Of course." He bowed toward Obi-Wan, confident that his genius could rival anything.

"I like the way you think, Anakin," was Obi-Wan's answer, then he caught sight of the speeder and ran toward it with arms lifted at his sides, like he was going to give it a big hug as soon as he got there. Anakin whirled on one foot, almost tipped over, and followed, still feeling quite proud of himself.

"You know…" gasped Obi-Wan, leaning on the speeder when Anakin came to a stop in front of him. "I think it's a ruddy waste to leave this beautiful piece of machinery just sitting here. I mean, what if someone steals it?"

"Bummer," sighed Anakin over-dramatically. "But I'd hate to scratch it up. And Padmé would be pretty mad if I don't get back alive."

"True," sighed Obi-Wan in turn, as Anakin fumbled around for his comlink and finally found it. He spent his leisurely time putting in the figures for Padmé's frequency, then leaned groggily on the speeder while he waited for her to answer.

_Ani?_

"Oh, hello there, bebee," slurred Anakin, his face lighting up like that voice was the most wonderful sound in the galaxy. The comlink wasn't anywhere near his mouth. Obi-Wan noticed this, even despite his current predicament, and lifted Anakin's hand up so the comlink was where it was supposed to be, even as Padmé's voice could be heard on the other end.

_Ani? Where are you? Are you okay? What are you doing?_

"Oh, I'm fine," laughed Anakin heartily. "Perfectly fine. Just had a nice breakfast with Obi-Wan and we're perfectly fine. Just fine."

_Is Obi-Wan there?_ Her voice sounded surprised, like she'd just been caught.

"Yup! He's right here, and he's fine. Just fine." Anakin put his arm around Obi-Wan's shoulder as evidence to this claim, but ended up leaning on him instead as lights began flashing behind his eyes. His vision blinked and he started to regret the rum.

_Well, what…_ Started Padmé, then her voice acquired a very hard edge, one that sent tingles up Anakin's spine, and made Obi-Wan tense. _Anakin Skywalker, have you been drinking?_

"Only a little," he whined.

_Anakin Skywalker, it is not even nine hundred hours and you are stone drunk! What on earth have you been doing? You said you needed to talk to Obi-Wan about some things, and now _this_! What were you _thinking_? What could be so bad…?_ She stopped herself, and both men could hear her sigh heavily on the other end. Anakin could just imagine her tapping her foot impatiently. _Alright, what do you need?_

"Well, a ride would be helpful," he said slowly, almost hesitantly. "Unless, of course…"

She didn't even want to hear his next idea, and was quick to interject. _No, I'll be right there. Where are you? Dex's?_ She knew him all too well.

"Yup," was the sullen reply.

_Fine. Just… stay there. Don't go anywhere. I'll borrow Captain Typho's speeder. _Don't_… go anywhere! Do you hear me?_

"Yes, ma'am," mumbled Anakin.

_Good. _She sighed again, impatiently. _Damn it, man, what am I going to do with you?_

Anakin grinned sheepishly as the comlink went dead and he fumblingly put it back into it's pouch on his belt.

"Well, she seems very nice," was all Obi-Wan could say, and Anakin glanced over to his former Master rubbing his eyes and trying to keep from falling to the permacrete beneath their feet.

It seemed like a millennium before Anakin looked up and saw a sleek speeder glide into the parking garage. It slowed as it neared them, then stopped, or at least, Anakin figured it stopped when he heard Padmé's voice telling them to get in. It held a hard edge to it, but mostly it just sounded annoyed.

Anakin fully regretted the rum by now, not only because he was feeling pretty awful as a result, but also because he knew how mad Padmé was. He shook Obi-Wan, who had given into the urge and fallen asleep leaning up against their speeder, then helped his stone-drunk Master as he stumbled to Padmé's ride. Anakin got Obi-Wan settled in the back seat, then pulled himself into the front, landing quite ungracefully beside Padmé. He moaned, and she glanced at him, reaching over to buckle his restraint as she figured he was too far gone to care. Glancing back, she saw that Obi-Wan was sprawled the length of the back seat, and she figured if he fell out, well, he fell out. Taking a deep sigh, she maneuvered her way out of the garage.

It was a silent trip. Padmé fumed in the driver's seat, though whenever she glanced over at Anakin, she felt a bit of her anger subside. He was clearly not feeling well, and she didn't quite envy him. He'd taken it upon himself, and now he was paying the consequences. She was only glad he'd called her.

Anakin said nothing the entire trip. He moaned instead. His stomach churned and he knew he was going to be sick. But whenever he opened his eyes, he saw Captain Typho's clean speeder and couldn't bring himself to mess that up. So he groaned and moaned, and tossed his head back and forth against the headrest in an attempt to alleviate his growing headache.

In the back seat, Obi-Wan was much worse off than Anakin. Anakin had always had a high tolerance level for alcohol, due to his large expanse of midichlorian's. But alcohol had always been a weak spot for Obi-Wan, or, at least, large doses of alcohol. So it was no wonder the trip was proving difficult for him. And at last, unable to restrain himself any further, he pulled himself up and puked over the side of the speeder. When he was finished, too weak to pull himself back in, he gazed down at the flowing traffic, wondering which unfortunate speeder had gotten a vomit-washing.

Padmé decided, for safety purposes, not to take these two inebriated Jedi back to the Temple. Master Windu was liable to kill them right then and there, and she couldn't very well show up, obviously pregnant, and drop them off. It would look too suspicious. And she, at least, of all of them, was thinking straight. So she brought them back to her apartment instead, thankful that she'd given her handmaidens and guards a day off.

"Why do I do these things?" groaned Anakin when the speeder came to a stop on Padmé's private landing platform. She laughed then, at the look on his ashen face, and all anger fell away when those woebegone blue eyes looked up at her. She stroked back his hair, then gingerly exited the vehicle and gave Obi-Wan a hand. As soon as the Jedi Master alighted, or rather, stumbled, onto the platform, he turned his head quizzically and surveyed Padmé's stomach.

"It would seem…" he started slowly. "… that my young Padawan has some more confessing to do." Then his face took on a sickly green color and he rushed to the edge of the landing platform and retched over it, again gazing mesmerized as his puke plummeted for quite some ways and splattered over some unfortunate soul's windshield.

"Why?" groaned Anakin from behind Padmé, and she was just in time to catch him as he, too, stumbled out of the speeder. He looked up at her again. "I feel terrible."

"Of course you do, sweetheart," smiled Padmé sweetly, though worry was evident in her eyes. She lifted him up as he put his arm around her shoulder and tried not to lean too heavily on her. "Come on, let's get you inside." Obi-Wan tripped as he started for the sitting room of Padmé's apartment, just off the landing deck, oblivious to his surroundings and intent only on reaching a surface that wasn't spinning.

Anakin groaned again as Padmé rushed to keep him upright. They staggered inside and slowly made their way up the stairs to their bedroom. Anakin collapsed heavily onto the bed as Padmé rushed to pull his boots off, eyeing him worriedly. He groaned some more, and knowing that he really was feeling awful, and hating to see him that way, Padmé rushed out of the room and to her small kitchenette, where she hurriedly made a pot of tea.

"I'll be right back, baby," whispered Padmé softly when she returned to their bedroom with the tea tray. Anakin acknowledged her with another moan, his mouth the only part of him that was even trying to move.

Agile for her condition, Padmé hurried down the stairs and into her private sitting room, stepping carefully so as not to make a sound. True to her assumptions, there was Master Kenobi, lying on his stomach on the couch, snoring loudly and completely gone. Padmé decided to leave him be, setting a hot-pad down on the coffee table beside the couch and placing a mug of tea on it to stay warm. He'd be wanting it when he woke up. Smiling a little at the sight of him, the practical man who had survived the ordeal of training Anakin, she turned away and carried the tray back upstairs to the bedroom.

To her surprise, though she shouldn't have been, Padmé was met by an identical sight. Anakin was sacked out, still in the position he had been, except he wasn't groaning anymore. He was snoring softly, or, at least, Padmé thought it was soft after what she'd heard coming from Obi-Wan, and looking fairly peaceful, for the time being. Padmé laid down another hot-pad and set his mug of tea on it, then brushed the hair out of his eyes and kissed him gently on his cheek. He didn't even register her, he was so far gone. And Padmé didn't try to wake him. She stood up and slipped out of the room, closing the door behind her with one last glance back at her sleeping husband. After all, drunk Jedi or not, for Padmé Amidala, the day was just beginning.


	5. Chapter 5: Common Ground

**Chapter Five: Common Ground**

Anakin awoke to pain. He had fought in the Clone Wars and had maintained injuries that would have killed any lesser man. But he'd always gritted his teeth and managed. It was the least he could do for the men under his command. And it was one of the things that had always made him great, to their eyes.

Now he was in pain. And he didn't try to grit his teeth. He knew he was in Padmé's apartment, and that was pretty much all he knew. So he figured he didn't have to pretend. And so the pain dominated his senses, and he let it, and moaned as wave after wave of splitting agony raced across his forehead.

He had a headache, which was the main issue. It burned him and stung, like a million needles penetrating the inside of his head, where he couldn't pull them out. He could hear his thundering heartbeat in his ears, and it overwhelmed the rest of his senses. When he finally managed to open his eyes, the room was not spinning, but it was blurry and speckled with red and black dots, which he knew was in his mind. And his stomach flipped as soon as he looked around, forcing him to lay still and close his eyes tight. He knew he was going to be sick. And he was still in pain.

"Kill me now," he mumbled under his breath.

"I'm afraid that wouldn't be the most humane course of action under these circumstances, Master Ani," said a mechanical voice at the door, and Anakin hissed as the sound raced into his ears, shaking his brain. It was _way_ too loud.

"Damnit, Threepio!" he swore, raising his head a little too fast. The nausea raced to a new height, and he knew, no matter how hard he forced himself not to, that he was going to loose it. He leapt off the bed, ignoring the ringing in his head, and raced to the fresher, where he promptly threw up. When it was over, he sagged back against the fresher wall, suddenly exhausted, but feeling much better. He took a deep breath, then heard Threepio in the bedroom, speaking in a concerned voice.

"I do believe Master Ani has had some sort of a malfunction," he was saying. "I can't understand it."

"That's alright, Threepio," came Padmé's calm voice, and Anakin found himself smiling a very small smile. She never made little issues into big ones, even if they really were big ones to begin with. "I'll take care of him. You focus on getting dinner ready, and remember, don't open the bedroom door unless you have to. We don't want the smell to get to either of them. They're rather, uh, sensitive to such things at the moment."

"I heartily agree, Mistress Padmé," said Threepio, then Anakin heard him shuffling away, and when the door shut behind him, he heard Padmé come to the fresher door.

"Ani?" she asked, trying to hide her own concern. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," he answered slowly, his own voice gruff as he fought against the pain. He stood up from the floor and splashed his face with water. Padmé opened the door slowly, and when she saw him leaning wearily over the sink, she came forward and gently put her arms around him. He flinched at the touch, cursing his heightened feeling as well as his senses, but Padmé was considerate enough not to speak loudly.

"Oh, Ani," she whispered as he dropped his head, bracing his hands on either side of the sink, his neck too weak to hold it up anymore. "My dear Ani." She leaned her own head against his back, feeling the sweat along his spine underneath his shirt. She smiled tenderly. "What have you done this time?" There was a hint of mirth in her voice, though it was tinged with regret and sympathy.

"Something stupid," he muttered, taking a deep, shallow breath. There was a moment of silence, then he lifted his head and sighed. "God, I feel like crap."

Padmé laughed then, softening to a chuckle when Anakin cringed. He was never going to ask her to stop. He loved her laugh. But she knew how it felt on his ears, regardless. She stroked one hand up and down his back as he took a few more breaths, then managed to stand up straight. Padmé let him put an arm over her shoulder so she could lead him back to bed, biting back giggles at the sight of his face, twisted in pain, something few saw on the face of the Chosen One.

"How's Obi-Wan?" groaned Anakin as he lay down carefully on the bed, Padmé tending him like a mother might a sick child. She smiled softly at him as he covered his face with his hands, rubbing his temples hard.

"Worse than you, I'm afraid," she answered, and pressed a hand over her mouth to keep from laughing when Anakin grabbed her pillow and threw it over his head, pressing it down around his ears. She doubted he could hear her, but continued anyway. "He was up only once, as Threepio reported." She sighed as she sat down beside Anakin on the edge of the bed. "I'm concerned the highway patrol is going to be out to look for him. I suppose I should be glad he hasn't done it all over my clean sitting room."

Padmé sighed again, and when she glanced back at Anakin, she saw the pillow lifted from around his head and clear, blue eyes gazing keenly at her. She started, wondering if his persona of drunkenness was, in fact, a ploy all along, and then Anakin laughed, the look on her face too much for him to take. The laugh was short and broken, and immediately died down into groans, but it was a laugh nonetheless, and Padmé was glad to hear it.

"What did you do, Anakin?" asked Padmé softly, reaching over to brush his damp hair out of his eyes as he laid the pillow back where it belonged. "Did you…" She paused, casting her eyes downward, almost afraid to say the words.

"I told him, Padmé," said Anakin gently, reaching over to take her hand in his. "I told him everything. Except…" He took a deep, halting breath. "…the most important thing right now. I, uh, didn't quite get around to it. I figured one thing at a time. He'll know soon enough."

"You should have just gotten it over with," smiled Padmé, raising Anakin's hand to her belly, then kissing it and laying it back on the bed sheets. She stood up then, and leaned down, kissing his forehead. With a fond smile, she turned away and left the bedroom, quietly ascending the stairs to the sitting room, half expecting Obi-Wan to still be asleep.

He wasn't.

He was sitting on one of the couch, rubbing his face with his hands and looking quite terrible. It was true, he was worse than Anakin, by a long shot, but at least he'd gotten most of the rum out of his stomach and had had the luxury of a little sleep to cure his exhaustion. He looked up when he felt Padmé enter the room, immediately noticing her state of pregnancy, for she hadn't tried to hide it. His embarrassment overrode any issues he had with that little matter, and he immediately returned to his discussion with Anakin, and the other confession is former Padawan had almost opened up about.

"Senator Amidala," acknowledged the Jedi Master, forcing back a groan of his own as he pulled himself into a standing position and put his hands at his sides and not on his head. "I thoroughly apologize for this. It is quite unlike me and I cannot begin to express my shame at appearing at your residence in such a condition."

"Think nothing of it, Obi-Wan," smiled Padmé softly as she came to him and put an arm comfortingly around his shoulder to lead him back upstairs. "Jedi who have been fighting as much as the two of you deserve a good drink from time to time. And if you feel anything like Anakin does, I should think this won't happen too many more times." She bit back a laugh at the shrinking look on Obi-Wan's face. "Come, Master Kenobi, Anakin is in need of your company. Can you manage the stairs?"

"Of course," smiled Obi-Wan as well as he could, but he tripped on the first step, thankfully caught in time by Padmé. He nodded his thanks and gripped the railing to steady himself.

_Damn that boy and his drink_, he cursed to himself, then he heard Anakin's laugh at the top of the stairs and "that boy"'s voice came into his head.

_Having troubles, Master?_

Obi-Wan silently cursed again, this time sending it in the direction of the Force, for allowing him and Anakin to share this rare, and thoroughly annoying, connection. He glanced at Padmé, and when he saw the faint glimmer of amusement in her eyes, he realized, with great irritation, that Anakin and Padmé shared a similar connection.

_Love does crazy things_, he sighed to himself.

_What was that, Master?_

_Nothing, nincompoop._

_Shut it._

At the top of the stairs, Obi-Wan bit back a grimace and staggered against the wall, the pain in his head nearly unbearable. And he was nauseous because of his empty stomach and the lasting effects of the alcohol. Padmé took his arm and helped him into the bedroom, where Anakin promptly rolled over onto Padmé's side so that Obi-Wan could have his. The chorus of groans nearly made Padmé laugh again, but she forced herself not to.

"Just lay quiet for a few minutes, Master Jedi," she smiled, giving Anakin a gleefully malicious look, to which he rolled his eyes and moaned again. She was having far too much fun with this, and was enjoying it thoroughly.

_Serves him right_, she thought as she turned away and left the bedroom. _I had to put up with three months of that, just because he didn't use his head._

_I heard that, love_, came his voice in her head, and she smiled upon hearing it. _It's not that I didn't use my head. It's that I didn't _want_ to._

_Ani!_

She heard him laugh in her mind, though she was sure he wasn't doing it in reality.

"My Lady, are Master Ani and Master Kenobi feeling alright?" asked Threepio when Padmé entered the small kitchen. He was busy stirring a pot of soup which Padmé had asked him to make specially for the "invalids".

"They're fine, Threepio," she answered with a weary sigh, then nodded toward the soup. "Is that almost done?"

"Why, goodness me! Whatever happened to my manners? Of course it's ready, Mistress Padmé. Forgive me for not telling you first."

"That's fine, Threepio," said Padmé, swallowing the rebuke which threatened to make itself heard. She had very few problems concerning Anakin's droid, but the one thing that irritated her the most were his incessant manners. He thought _way_ too much for a droid.

When two bowls were filled with the hot soup, Padmé set them on a tray and carried them back to the bedroom, leaving Threepio in the kitchen, where his talking wouldn't bother the ears of the hung-over Jedi. She found them just where she'd left them. Anakin had turned over onto his stomach, sprawled halfway across the bed, with the pillow clamped down hard on his head. Obi-Wan was upright, lying quite still, with another pillow over his face, just as Anakin had been earlier. Padmé shook her head and set the tray down on the bench at the end of the bed.

"Obi-Wan, would you care for something to settle that stomach of yours?" she asked then, her voice quite patient, as she carried a bowl over to where Obi-Wan lay. He pulled the pillow away from his face and propped himself up on one elbow, accepting the bowl and a spoon from Padmé's outstretched hand.

"Thank you, Padmé," he said mildly. "It smells… wonderful." He smiled weakly up at her, his eyes thanking her in the way his tongue couldn't just then.

"You don't have to finish it," she said softly. "But try to."

Then she took the second bowl and carried it over to Anakin, who also propped himself up on one elbow, only to get hit with a wave of dizziness from the sudden gravity shift. Padmé stroked his hair away from his face and held out a spoonful of the hot liquid. He eyed it cautiously, then allowed her to feed it to him, promptly choking as he swallowed.

"Shit!" he swore, making a terrible face and causing Padmé to laugh out loud. "What _is_ that?" He glanced over at Obi-Wan, and the look on his Master's face said the same thing, but at least Obi-Wan was kind enough to keep his mouth shut, as the look in his eyes said in return to Anakin's glance. "I don't care, that's disgusting."

"Get over it," laughed Padmé, offering him another spoonful. "I know it tastes terrible, but it will make you feel better." He reluctantly swallowed the second spoonful, pressing a hand to his chest as he forced himself not to grimace. "I heard about it from my mother, and so when the morning sickness began in earnest, I had Threepio make it for me. The contents are a secret, known only to mothers and soon-to-be mothers, so I can't tell you." Anakin swallowed another mouthful, his face even worse this time as he tried to keep it neutral. Padmé laughed again. "It grows on you, Ani."

Then Obi-Wan snorted, nearly loosing the bit of soup he was in the process of swallowing, and Anakin shot him a look as he quickly composed himself.

"Not on my wife's clean sheets, Master!" he exclaimed, and Obi-Wan glowered at him. Padmé just kept laughing.

"You two are incredible," she snickered, then gave Anakin a special smile just for him. "_You_ are incredible." And he smiled back at her.

The soup _did_ grow on them, Anakin and Obi-Wan both had to admit, and when their bowls were empty, they both felt infinitely better. Obi-Wan's head still hurt, not as much as before, but still some, so he remained where he was even when Anakin stood up and left the room in search of Padmé. He found her in the kitchen, humming softly to herself as she cleaned a small pile of dishes by hand. She jumped a little when she felt his arms wrap around her waist, holding tight, then relaxed into them, still cleaning the dishes.

"Where's Threepio?" mumbled Anakin as he buried his head in her neck.

"I told him to power down," she replied calmly. "He was driving me crazy."

Anakin laughed softly against her skin and pressed light kisses to her collarbone and the back of her neck. She shivered at his touch, but would not allow him to pull her from her work.

"How are you feeling?" she asked softly.

"Better. And you?"

"I was a little sick this morning, but that's since passed. Besides…" She smiled as Anakin pulled her dress away from her shoulder so he could kiss it. "… I can never feel _too_ terrible when you're around, even if you _are_ drunk."

"Obi-Wan started it," was the lame excuse.

"Of course he did," agreed Padmé, but her voice betrayed her, and Anakin knew she didn't believe him. He deftly reached for the zipper on her dress and quickly started to let it down. She squealed, images of Obi-Wan walking in and catching them flashing through her mind, and whacked Anakin with a wet dishcloth. He laughed, his deep voice bringing goose-bumps to Padmé's arms as she tried not too think too far into the future.

"So, my love," said Anakin then, turning away and walking around to the other side of the open counter. He pulled himself onto a barstool and sat watching her. "What time have we gotten to?"

"Haven't you looked outside yet?" asked Padmé, surprised, glancing back at him.

"Of course not," he said very matter-a-factly. "I personally like the view in here a lot better."

"Fine, then," she smiled, rolling her eyes. "It's past dawn, as you might have guessed if you looked outside. After you both passed out, I left Threepio in charge and went to the office, getting in a full day of work before coming back, cleaning the place up and starting on dinner. _After_ which you finally woke up." Her eyes twinkled when she looked back at him.

"Well, that's great," was the casual response as Anakin turned on his stool and leaned back on the counter. "I slept the day away. For the first time in a while."

"And so did Obi-Wan," stated Padmé. "I haven't told him yet, but while he was out, I took his comlink. Yours as well. The Council has been pestering you two all afternoon. I wouldn't be surprised if they sent a Clone scouting party out to find you." Her eyes sparkled, and Anakin remembered the vengeance he'd sworn on her that morning. He brushed the thought away quickly.

"Right." He leapt off the barstool. "We'll call them back. Where are the comlinks?"

"Right here," answered Padmé, reaching into a pocket of her dress and procuring them.

"I love you," whispered Anakin, coming up beside her and wrapping her in one last hug as he took the comlinks. With a slobbery kiss to her cheek, he pulled away and went back to the bedroom, trying not to notice the way Padmé blushed when he left.

"Master!"

"Not so loud, Anakin," groaned Obi-Wan, covering his face with his hands. He took a shallow breath, ignoring Anakin's hearty laugh. "What is it?"

"The Council is asking for us. Padmé says they've been trying our signals all day. If we don't make an appearance soon, no doubt they'll send a clone squad out to find us."

"Damn," muttered Obi-Wan, standing up slowly. "What did they say?"

"Well, let's see."

Of the two comlinks, only Obi-Wan's had a saved message from the Council. On official business, they had a way of choosing him over Anakin, and the young Jedi Knight knew why. Master Windu had never cared for Anakin much, and Anakin shared a similar opinion toward him, though he never let it interfere with Jedi business. As such, he simply gritted his teeth and pressed the side of Obi-Wan's comlink, bringing up an electronic image of Master Windu himself.

"Master Kenobi," the image said as Obi-Wan and Anakin watched. "I have been trying to locate you and your former Padawan for quite some time. The Council has summoned all available members for an emergency session, and since he tends to get into trouble when not watched, I wish Skywalker to be in attendance as well. We will not hold for you, so hurry back as soon as is convenient. As these transmissions have not yet gone through, we will give you until dusk, then a Clone squad will be sent in search of you. _Both_ of you. We look forward to your attendance."

The Jedi Master bowed, then the recording fizzled and faded away.

"Master, if you'd just let me…" started Anakin, speaking through clenched teeth as he gripped the comlink in his fist.

"Not now, Anakin," interrupted Obi-Wan, successfully hiding his amusement. "When was that message left?"

"Four hours ago, Master."

"And it's dusk now," sighed Obi-Wan, glancing out the window as the sunlight slowly but surely began to fade. An instant later, he was his usual grim self, out on a mission, headed toward the bedroom door and Padmé's public sitting room beyond. "Alright, _Skywalker_, let's not dawdle. We've gotten into enough problems today without Master Windu becoming one of them. We need to get back to _Dex's_ and pick up the speeder. If we arrive at the Temple in Padmé's, the Council is bound to suspect something."

"Then you're not going to tell them?" asked Anakin, stopping in his tracks as he followed his Master, a look of surprise quite evident on his face. He'd just assumed…

"Just so long as you keep your head," answered Obi-Wan, giving him a glance, then reaching out to take Padmé's hand as she came to send them off, though he continued to speak to Anakin as he did so. "You've given me no reason to doubt beyond the normal, so as long as you don't allow this relationship to interfere with your work."

"Uh, yeah, about that, Master…" started Anakin, but Obi-Wan was ahead of him again.

"I'm aware of the situation, Anakin," he said calmly, dropping Padmé's hand and turning back to his young apprentice. "And I know that, if it came to it, you would want to take care of her instead of adhere to your duties. I understand that. And if it is within my power, I will allow that. But the rest of the Council will not likely side with me, so it's possible you may not always be allowed to choose your personal life over your duties." He turned back to Padmé. "In other words, Mrs. Skywalker, if your husband is away with me, no calling him for false alarms. _Only_ when things actually start to happen." He smiled at her astonishment. "Yes, Padmé, I wasn't so drunk that I didn't notice." Then he laughed when Padmé's hand instinctively went down to rest on her enlargened stomach, and turned back to Anakin. "Alright, my young Padawan, let's see if we can't fool the Council into thinking we've spent the entire day training."

"I'm with you, Master," grinned Anakin with a look of relief on his face.

"But there's no need to go to _Dex's_," interrupted Padmé, reaching into the pocket of her dress and pulling out the activation key to Anakin's speeder. She smiled at the stunned look on both of their faces. "Do you think I've done _nothing_ today?"

"Now, love," said Anakin, going to her as she promptly put her hand behind her back and away from his reach. "How did you get it back without spilling our little secret?"

"It's not a secret to _everyone_," she answered simply, with a very innocent smile as Anakin stepped a little closer.

"Well, regardless, may I have the key back?"

"Not until you kiss me."

"But… but, Obi-Wan's…" He glanced back at his Master, clearly uncomfortable with the situation.

"Obi-Wan is fine," answered Padmé, then acquired a hard look to her face. "Now Anakin Skywalker, here I've been, keeping everything under control in the Senate, nurturing you two back to health, retrieving speeders, putting up with Threepio, and you're just standing there, refusing to give me a kiss that I very much need, just because Obi-Wan is standing right there. What are the names people have given you? Surely not 'coward'?"

"No," Anakin admitted with a sly smile. "'Hot stuff' is one of them."

Then he swooped down and caught Padmé's mouth with his, giving her a long, deep kiss with all the passion he could muster. And her arms came up to wrap around his neck as she deepened the kiss of her own accord. Then Anakin reached up and took the land which held the key and she allowed him to take it. As soon as he had it, Anakin pulled away with a triumphant look on his face, kissed her quickly on the cheek, then strode toward the turbolift at the other end of the apartment.

"Much obliged, Senator," he called back to her. "And don't worry about Threepio. Shut him down and I'll see if I can't reprogram his memory banks when I get home. Just don't stay up too late for me." He stepped up to the turbolift doors and turned around, blowing her a kiss. "Come on, Obi-Wan, are you still feeling the effects of that hangover?"

"Very funny," retorted the Jedi Master, then he turned from Anakin and bowed toward Padmé. "Thank you again for your hospitality, Padmé. You should know I will remain eternally humiliated by the events of today, and will never cease to blame your husband for it. You are a force to be reckoned with, allowing us both to sprawl about your apartment as we did. I will keep your secret, if only to pay for my keep."

"Nonsense, Obi-Wan!" laughed Padmé. "You're almost as bad as Anakin when he puts his dirty boots up on my clean bed sheets. Don't worry yourself. It makes me feel more like a wife and mother, and less like a Senator."

"Then I will see if I can't send your husband home with muddy boots more often."

"Don't you dare!"

Then Obi-Wan laughed and walked away, joining Anakin in the turbolift as Padmé's own laughter flowed after them. Anakin rolled his eyes and crossed his arms in front of him, looking very displeased.

"I did, Master," was his only comment when Obi-Wan turned to ask him if there was any truth behind that dirty boot claim.

Obi-Wan laughed and shook his head, feeling quite content with the way things had worked out, but troubled all the same, because he had entirely missed it.


	6. Chapter 6: A Need for Change

**Chapter Six: A Need For Change**

Anakin and Obi-Wan walked in silence down one of the great halls of the Temple. They had just left the Council meeting, which Anakin now considered a waste of valuable time. He and Obi-Wan had both suspected a long discussion in regard to the disturbance that now penetrated the Force, which both he and Master Yoda had felt. But there was no mention of this, and when the meeting was called to an end, Anakin honestly believed that Yoda had said nothing to the rest of the Council about his restless night. This, even more than his own bad night, troubled Anakin, and he tried not to buy too much into it as he and Obi-Wan walked in brewing silence.

"Is something troubling you, Master?" asked Anakin in a low voice when he was sure no one else would be listening. He swore he could have felt Obi-Wan's uneasiness from the other side of Coruscant, and sincerely believed it possible to do just that.

"Master Yoda said absolutely nothing that entire time," replied Obi-Wan, trying to keep the concern out of his voice. "Didn't you notice?"

"No, I guess I didn't," answered Anakin in a voice tinged with honestly and innocence, both of which Obi-Wan doubted just then. "I was too busy envisioning Master Windu with piercings all over his face and a nice big Sith tattoo plastered on the top of his head."

Obi-Wan didn't even honor Anakin with a retort, but gave him a look that simply said: "I should have known, and I won't even bother reminding you that you're treading on very precarious ground right now." In truth, though, when Obi-Wan glanced in Anakin's direction, he was met with a look of mirrored concern.

"He was looking at you the entire time too," said Obi-Wan, almost as an afterthought.

"And he knew we'd been sick," Anakin added. "He might have even guessed we were drinking."

They walked in silence for a few strides more, then Obi-Wan spoke thoughtfully.

"Disturbing, isn't it?"

"Are you kidding?"

They kept walking, then Anakin took a deep breath.

"He doesn't trust the Council." He sounded almost sorry to say it.

"I'm surprised your so… _surprised_ about that. After all, you don't trust them either."

"Yes, but I'm a different deal all together. And you know my opinion of them, so I don't need to say it again. I mean, what exactly _did_ you learn about me today?"

"That's true. I suppose you were born to defy the Council. But Master Yoda is the highest member of the Council, and his newfound covertness around them is getting me worried. It's not like him."

"Maybe he suspects something."

"Quiet, Anakin. We shouldn't speak of these things here. I suggest we talk to Master Yoda in private. And if I were you, I'd tell him everything. If he has any doubts about the Council and the Order, I'm sure he'll listen and understand. Besides, he may already know."

"Don't even suggest it, Master," groaned Anakin, gripping his forehead like the pain from the hangover had returned. And they kept walking, the disturbance in the Force growing with every passing moment. The air in the Temple was pressing, like it knew something wasn't right. And it unnerved Anakin to no end.

As quickly as they could, Anakin and Obi-Wan made their way to the parking deck. They'd not spent much time in the Temple that day, but they were more than eager to escape it anyway. Anakin inspected his speeder from top to bottom, since he never trusted anyone but himself with it, and he'd had no time before leaving Padmé's apartment to do so. He wished he could return to her now, but Obi-Wan's speeder was having repairs done, and he'd taken registered transportation that morning. And he too had no desire to remain at the Temple any longer than necessary.

Anakin had just bent over to inspect a suspicious miniscule of paint missing from the front bumper when Obi-Wan's comlink went off. The Jedi Master answered it, noticing how Anakin didn't even bother to notice, and was surprised when he heard Master Yoda's weary voice on the other end, asking if he could go with them, wherever they were headed.

"We're going back to my apartment as we speak, Master," answered Obi-Wan, only then sustaining a raised eyebrow from Anakin, who had obviously overheard though he continued to hover over his scratched bumper.

_Still in the parking bay you remain, Obi-Wan? _the gruff voice said through the gritty connection.

"Yes, Master. If you wish, we will stay a little longer, at least until you get here."

_Not far, I am. Wait for me, could you?_

"Of course, Master."

Then the connection died and Anakin slowly stood up to his full height, his eyes flashing dangerously.

"Strange," he said, his voice clear and tinged with a hint of brooding.

"Yes, it is," answered Obi-Wan, rather distantly. "I'm under the impression he's not himself today."

"Not that, Master," growled Anakin, dropping to the ground to inspect the underside of his speeder. "I do believe my wife's beloved Captain Typho just scratched my speeder."

"Good God, Anakin," sighed Obi-Wan, rolling his eyes and turning away. He wasn't going to give his former Padawan the benefit of a lecture, rewarding as that would be for both of them. Instead, he left the young man to his own devices and stood patiently by, watching for Master Yoda's arrival.

It was short in coming. With slow, troubled steps, the diminutive Jedi Master hobbled into the parking bay, leaning wearily on his Gimer stick. Anakin sensed his approach and rolled out from under the speeder, pulling himself up and brushing his tunic off. He came to stand by Obi-Wan, giving him a quick glance before Yoda had stopped in front of them. They all bowed, a ridiculous custom, or so Anakin thought, then Obi-Wan helped Yoda into the speeder while Anakin jumped into the driver's seat. Obi-Wan had to give Anakin a look before they departed, which pretty much told him to "get your restraining belt on or Padmé's going to _kill_ you". And of course, he did as was suggested, because the truth was, Padmé _would_ kill him.

Then Anakin's foot was pressed down on the accelerator, and Obi-Wan didn't think he lifted it the entire way.

When at last they pulled up in front of Obi-Wan's penthouse, the Jedi Master tried hard not to let out a shaky breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. He glanced back at Yoda and was surprised to find him perfectly calm, at least on the outside. Obi-Wan looked back in Anakin's direction and saw his apprentice grinning innocently at him.

"Very smooth," said Obi-Wan, then they all disembarked, Anakin taking one last look at the scratch on his front bumper in passing, cursing Typho under his breath.

When at last the three Jedi were comfortably seated within the apartment, on what seating arrangements Obi-Wan had thought to acquire, mugs of tea in hand, with Anakin half wishing for something stronger, caring nothing for his past experiences, it was Master Yoda who first spoke. And his words were not expected.

"Drinking, you have been, hm?"

"Uh…" was Anakin's graceful answer, shooting a quick look in Obi-Wan's direction.

"Yes, Master," was the elder's answer, giving Anakin a quick nudge with only his eyes, because he was too far away for a good kick to do an effective job.

"Much, you had, hm?"

"Unfortunately so, Master," answered Obi-Wan again, Anakin since having given up in explaining himself.

"Regret this, did you?" And then Yoda laughed at the reminiscent looks on both of the other's respective faces. "Long suffering as a result, and learned from this, I doubt you have." His last comment was aimed in Anakin's general direction.

"I might swear off drinking for good after this," mumbled Anakin in the form of an apology, and Yoda laughed again. "Or else become an alcoholic. Either way. Whichever's simpler."

"Simpler it may be," agreed the Jedi Master, much to both Anakin and Obi-Wan's surprise. "But not more convenient, in the end." And he glanced at Anakin once more, a thoughtful look on his face, and Anakin began to suspect him to know of a lot more than he made clear.

"Of course, Master," he answered calmly, taking a swig of his tea and biting back curses when it ran hot down the back of his throat.

"Sense not, I do, your presence in this place, when recovering, you were. Serious, was it, the nature of your inebriation?"

"No, Master," replied Obi-Wan, casting his eyes downward. "We were at a more convenient location, at least for the two of us."

"Yeah, uh, about that," started Anakin, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees. "I think now would be a good time to get to that little subject." He nodded toward Yoda. "That is, if you've got a strong stomach and a few hours to waste, Master Yoda?"

"No, Anakin," said Obi-Wan quickly, giving him a hard stare. "I was drunk. Let's not take that bit seriously. We'll stay here, and leave Dex out of this."

"Fine," said Anakin irritably, slumping back in his seat with a feigned bad temper. For a moment her glared at the ground, then, knowing the truth would sound rather bad coming from Obi-Wan's mouth, he took a deep breath and leaned forward again, trying to appear relaxed, and failing remarkably.

"Alright, Master Yoda," he said quietly. "I'm not going to ask for your silence. What I'm telling you is… the greatest thing that's ever happened to me, and nothing anyone says will change that. I could suffer the rest of my life for this, but…" He glanced sideways at Obi-Wan and saw approval in his former Master's eyes. "…it's worth it. At least, to me it is."

Then Yoda set down his glass and folded his hands in front of him, his face concealing any hint of emotion he was feeling. And with another deep breath, Anakin talked.

"… and to conclude this little discussion, I believe it's safe to say that what Anakin was trying to tell you, Master Yoda, is that he's copulated without the intention of propagation, and now he and his beautiful wife are in the process of procreating and replenishing the supply of midichlorian sufficient individuals in this galaxy through the act of parturition, which leads me back to the reason we're here in the first place. To talk about it."

"Uh…" stammered Anakin, eyeing his Master as he might something he wasn't quite sure about. "Were you..." He swallowed hard. "… speaking in a language that's normally spoken on any of the known planets?" He paused again, still eyeing Obi-Wan carefully. "Because if I was supposed to understand that, you totally lost me. All we did was have…"

"I know what you had, Anakin," said Obi-Wan quickly, perhaps too quickly.

"…sex."

"Anakin!"

"What! It's natural!"

"Not in front of Master Yoda!"

"No, seriously? I'm sure he knows all about it." They both turned back to the ancient Jedi Master, who was currently holding his head in his hands, stroking back the little hair that was still on his head and looking pretty close to being sick to his stomach. To be honest, Anakin couldn't tell. He might have been about ready to puke, if he'd not been so green to begin with. But that, surely, was beside the point, and the young Jedi Knight had to snap himself out of that train of thought to focus on the situation at hand.

_Which… _is…_ the fact that Master Yoda's about to be sick all over Obi-Wan's shag rug,_ thought Anakin to himself, then glanced at the rug. _Not that _that _would be such a loss. Man, I love Padmé. She's actually got… you know, _carpet! The real stuff. That doesn't…

"Anakin!"

"Hm?" He looked up to see Obi-Wan glaring at him, and realized that his former mentor had probably just heard the full extend of his thoughts. He shrugged and turned his attention back to Yoda, as Obi-Wan did the same.

"We know this is hard for you to hear, Master," said Obi-Wan softly, in as calm a voice as he could muster at that moment. "It was for me. I got drunk as a result." He chuckled. "But let's just face the facts. I've reviewed everything Anakin's said, and determined that his marriage to Senator Amidala has probably been a good thing. Yes, he's been distant whenever we're back on Coruscant, but on all our missions, he's been focused and under control. Irritable, at times, but that's always been the case with him. We can't blame it on love."

"Um, Master…"

"Not now." Obi-Wan shot him another look, one which Anakin was growing increasingly tired of looking at.

"Yes now!" snapped Anakin, a bit too forcefully, as he shot out of his seat and stood glancing between Obi-Wan and Yoda, the latter of which had lifted his head and was now staring keenly at the young man in front of him. "Let me lay this down. For both of you. Every word I've spoken is the truth. Every ounce of it. I've held nothing back. I've described my dream in full several times over…" He turned his attention fully on Yoda. "… and thank you, Master Yoda, for your input. I suspected you had a part to play all along. Although I agree I'm rather disturbed about this Sith Lord you claim had a hold on my mind before you came along to ward him off. Regardless, I'm very thankful, and troubled at the same time. Which leads me back to what I was saying in the first place." He shot a look at Obi-Wan, trying hard to make it look like all the others he'd been granted that day from said person. "I'm leaving. And no amount of persuading is going to stop me. If need be, I'll bring my resignation before the Council right now. I'd rather not. But what other option do I have? I can't very well get up and walk away from all this, what with Grevious and Dooku still on the loose, and an elusive Sith Lord to deal with. It wouldn't work."

"And why not?" asked Yoda quietly, the first words he'd spoken in several minutes. Anakin glanced back at him, surprised to see the subdued yellow eyes staring curiously at him. "Hidden from us, you have, your life thus far. A forbidden life, for a Jedi, _that_ is, and yet made one for yourself, you have. Gone against the Code, you have, and yet stopped you, it did not. So stop you now, will this? Or will it not? Decide, only you can. Though suggestion, I will give, provided the circumstances. Run, you should. Forget the Order. Take care of your wife, you must. If leave now, you do, much shame you will receive as a result, but unable to find you, the Order will, if hide well, you do. Your weapon, taken from you, it shall not be, so protect your family at all costs, you may. But only if silent you remain, and leave without warning, you do." The yellow eyes turned toward Obi-Wan. "Silence I will keep. Care for Senator Amidala greatly, I do. No harm do I wish on her. Or on her husband." And he turned his attention back to Anakin.

"I will say nothing on my part, Master," assured Obi-Wan, as he had assured Anakin and Padmé earlier in the day. "I feel it would be unwise to reveal this to the Council at this point. There is too much at stake."

"And in grave danger, still the Skywalkers remain," agreed Yoda, closing his eyes and shaking his head. "Grave danger, I feel about you, young Skywalker."

Anakin bit his lower lip and said nothing, glancing down and involuntarily shivering.

"Know the gender of your child, do you?" asked Yoda suddenly, glancing up at him again.

"I, uh…" Anakin paused, then suddenly remembered his dream. "… I'm under the impression it will be a girl, Master. The dream suggested as much. Though Padmé hasn't gotten anything verified, as of yet."

"Good, that will be, for you to father a daughter." The bared smile appeared on the old Jedi's face, before he sighed and closed his eyes again.

"Perhaps Ahsoka did something good for you after all," joked Obi-Wan with a very serious tone and a troubled look on his face. Anakin glanced back at him and forced a smile, but he too was troubled. The feeling seemed to permeate the air.

Suddenly, white lights flashed behind Anakin's eyes and he stumbled forward, gripping the side of Master Yoda's chair to keep from falling over. It wasn't a physical ailment, he knew that much, and it definitely wasn't from the hangover. No, it was something mental. Something was wrong with Padmé. And himself. Danger. _Now_ he realized what Yoda was talking about.

"Anakin!" Obi-Wan's cry seemed a million miles away as Anakin blinked to clear his eyes and he saw the two Jedi Master's come into focus. Yoda was out of his seat, his walking stick lying useless on the floor, one hand on the lightsaber at his side, though he hadn't brought it into his hand. Obi-Wan was in a similar stance, though not as defensive. He was hurrying over to help Anakin back on his feet.

The room was rolling about Anakin as he leaned heavily on his Master. He rubbed his eyes and temples, and the physical wooziness quickly passed. His hearing and eyesight returned within seconds, and then he was back to his normal self. Only he wasn't. He was afraid. More afraid than he'd ever been in his life, and he knew he had to go. _Now!_

"Go, Skywalker!" cried out Yoda then, his voice uncharacteristically urgent. Anakin knew he'd felt the disturbance as well, for indeed, it was a disturbance in the Force, centered around Anakin himself. "Get out of here!"

"Yeah, tell me something I don't know," muttered Anakin as he turned toward where his speeder was parked. Obi-Wan grabbed his arm as he did so, bringing him to face him for a split second.

"Be safe, Anakin," was all he said, then Anakin nodded toward his Master, and toward Yoda, and turned from them and ran. He never looked back.


	7. Chapter 7: Evasive Maneuver

**Chapter Seven: Evasive Maneuver**

It did not take Anakin long to reach Padmé's apartment. He was driven to a frenetic pace by this slowly increasing sense of dread. He knew something horrible was about to happen, and he knew he couldn't stop it. The only thing he could do was get away from it, and fast. This was the only time in his entire life that he wasn't totally in control, and it antagonized him to no end. But he never had the chance to worry about it, and question whether his life was fair, because he was too concerned for Padmé's safety.

Thankfully, it was nearing midnight when Anakin reached the apartment, and Padmé was never at the Senate building at such a late hour. Especially now that she was pregnant. She worried more for the baby than she did for herself, but even _she_ knew that, if she didn't care for herself, she was doing even less for her unborn child. So she slept as much as she could, and ate more than ever, and surrendered much of her work in the Senate into the hands of her assistants and handmaids. She was more than ready to let others take up the political field, and so was Anakin.

As such, Padmé was just settling down on the couch for a late-night holo-film, comfortable in her nightgown and robe, when Anakin's speeder came to a stop on her private landing deck. He had to walk through the entirety of her apartment in order to reach her, so he had enough time to get calmed down. He pushed his hair back from his forehead, where it had fallen without him knowing it. He straightened his tunics and brushed a hand quickly down them to make sure they were in place. Not that Padmé ever cared how his clothes looked. Then he forced his face to relax and told himself to speak in a relaxed, controlled voice. The result amazed even him.

"There's been a change of events," he said calmly as he strode into the room where Padmé was. She looked up from where she sat, unalarmed, as his voice and posture had given her nothing to be alarmed about, and only slightly perturbed by his words. "We're leaving Coruscant tonight. A sort of… extended vacation. I think we both need one." He tried to smile, and apparently his attempt worked, because Padmé laughed softly.

"And what of the Jedi?" she asked, standing up slowly and coming to wrap her arms around him. "Won't they know you're gone?"

"Obi-Wan knows about us, Padmé," Anakin said in a soft voice, kissing the top of her head. "And we just told Master Yoda."

Padmé looked up, this time clearly alarmed.

"It's alright, my love," Anakin smiled, trying to reassure her. "He's guessed, or known, all along. He's happy for us. And disturbed. He advised me to come back and take care of you. And I think, to do that, we should leave Coruscant." His brows narrowed slightly as he looked at her, giving her very little room to maneuver. "Tonight."

"Now Anakin," whispered Padmé, trying to bring a voice of reason into his increasing insanity. "I can't just up and leave. I need time to prepare. It would be unsightly. Plus the Council will want to know about you. Master Yoda and Obi-Wan don't make up the majority, you know. It's not like either of us to do something like this. Unless you have a good reason."

"I do," was Anakin's hurried reply, and he dropped his pretense, startling Padmé by the frantic look in his eyes and his tone of voice. "I know something is going to happen. Something bad. One of us is in danger. Or both. Or all three of us. Come on, Padmé, I know I'm right, and I know there's nothing I can do about it. Please, please just listen to me. Come away. Or I'll carry you out of here myself, with nothing but the clothes on our backs. Please, Padmé, believe me."

For a very long moment, they just stood there. Padmé stared long and deep into Anakin's eyes, believing him more and more as she did so. Anakin, in turn, tried as hard as he could to calm himself. He took several hard swallows before Padmé let in a breath and stepped back from him.

"I believe you, Ani," she whispered, then she brushed past him and started toward their bedroom. Anakin felt his heart start to beat again as he turned off the holo and secured the room. Then, as Padmé packed her bags, he went through the entire apartment, securing doors and windows, putting things away, and backing up the security cameras, after which he disabled them. He didn't concern himself with the packing. What few changes of clothes he had were right there in Padmé's closet, and she would see that they were packed.

When the apartment was secure, Anakin set about to locate a ship for them. It would not do to take Padmé's personal skiff, as it would be recognized nearly everywhere they went. If someone was after them, which he knew was the unsettling truth, they would find them all too easily that way. So he set to work on one of Padmé's datapads, to see what other form of transportation he could find. It would have to be a subtle ship, plain and unadorned, but fast, and with a clean hyperdrive. Price wasn't an issue, but Anakin knew they'd have to go cheaper. If they paid a lot of money for a piece of scrap metal with chipped paint, he knew it would do as good a job as if they'd taken Padmé's skiff from the very beginning.

When Padmé's bags were checked and re-checked, and finally closed and locked, Anakin had already located four vessels that fit his criteria. He'd called the owners of all of them to get the docking numbers and to make sure they stayed in dock until he arrived. That way, if one ship didn't work, he'd have backups. The idea was, if everything went well, they wouldn't have to wait around for a good ship to come along.

_If you can honestly call these hunks of junk 'good'_, thought Anakin dismally, suddenly missing his personal starfighter, and trying hard not to think about it.

"I'm ready," said a voice, tired and slightly irritated, and Anakin lifted his head and met Padmé's eyes, exhausted and bloodshot. It was late, and she'd not even gotten a wink of sleep.

"You'll get sleep, love," smiled Anakin, reaching for her and rubbing her back comfortingly. "As soon as we get out of here, you can sleep as long as you want."

"I'd better," sighed Padmé, then forced a small smile to match Anakin's. "I _do_ trust you, Ani. I'm just tired, that's all."

"I know," he answered, then handed her the datapad to put into her safe keeping and picked up the bags. Padmé called for Threepio, who had spent the past couple hours grumbling about how he simply couldn't understand human behavior, and told him to follow Anakin. Then she unplugged Artoo from the charging socket, where he'd been stocking up on enough power to keep him going for months, and directed him after Threepio, then took one last around her apartment, trying not to brood too much, and followed them.

Anakin swallowed his impatience, knowing how hard it was going to be for Padmé to follow him on this crazy trip, and waited for her as she made her way toward the speeder. With one last glance at the veranda where Anakin had contemplated his dream the night before, Padmé swallowed hard and turned away. It was the hardest thing she'd ever done, but when she saw Anakin smiling at her, hand extended to help her into the speeder, her heart beat a little faster and she felt the thrill she often did when off on an adventure. And she returned the smile and took his hand.

The spaceport where Anakin led them was crowded even at such a late hour, a fact he was glad of, because it showed that they weren't the only crazy ones out there. He parked the speeder in a dark, secluded area of an underground parking garage, far from where the docks were that held the ships he had an eye on. He half wished someone would just steal the speeder, or that Captain Typho would find it and know enough to keep his mouth shut. It wouldn't take a rocket scientist to know it was Anakin Skywalker's speeder, and Anakin cursed his popularity when that thought crossed his mind. He picked up the bags and pushed that thought away, knowing he could do nothing to prevent it, and followed Padmé as she started on the long walk to the first space dock.

The first ship they saw was a beauty, but not to look upon. The paint and body problems were perfect for their guise, and the price was as dirt cheap as you could go for a ship, any ship. But the hyperdrive sputtered and choked, and given even a few hours, Anakin could have gotten it in working order, but they didn't have a few hours, even for that, so he had to pass.

The second ship was in slightly better condition than the first, but not by much. It's hyperdrive, too, was an older model in perfect working condition, but Anakin knew too well how precarious the older hyperdrive models were, and he couldn't be sure how well it would handle lightspeed, so he had to pass on that one as well.

The third was better than the first two. Padmé was impressed by the fact that it wasn't missing any parts on the outside, or even had that many dents, and that the inside actually had _comfortable_ accommodations. Anakin was impressed by the fact that the hyperdrive was in perfect working order, recently cleaned, and was stronger than many he had seen. The only reason it was being sold for a dirt cheap price was because the primary shields had the tendency to flicker, and the autopilot didn't work. Anakin knew he could fix both, either while in lightspeed or once landed. It wasn't an issue, as long as the ship could get off the ground and get them into lightspeed.

"We'll take it," he said, laying down the designated price in cash, so it couldn't easily be tracked, and the deal was made.

While Anakin started up the ship and made sure all the systems were in working order, Padmé disappeared into the rear section to arrange their things. They only had four bags. Two were filled with Padmé's clothing, cosmetics, and other such things, with Anakin's clothes folded neatly in a spare corner. The third bag had odds and ends from Padmé's apartment that she simply couldn't bear to leave, along with important papers and several datapads. She wished she could get some things from her parent's house on Naboo, but Anakin had insisted that they stay as far away from Naboo as possible, and she had to agree. It just wouldn't be safe.

Then the fourth bag. It hadn't needed packed. It already was. It was a collection Padmé had been putting together through the duration of her pregnancy thus far. And it was probably the most selfish thing she'd done her entire life, which was a fact that made Anakin smile and made Padmé blush with pride.

This fourth bag was comprised entirely of things for their baby. Whenever Padmé had had the chance, she would go shopping. Something had always told her to do this. Maybe it was the war, and how it had everyone on edge. She sometimes wondered what might happen, but that was impossible to do, since _anything_ could happen. And therefore, she thought it might be wise to have things together for the baby, simply if things didn't turn out as planned. She never knew what that might look like, until now.

So now there was an entire bag just for the baby. There were blankets and cloth diapers, since Padmé never could get her head around using disposable ones. There were little one-piece outfits, and shirts and pants, and plenty of little socks, and four pairs of shoes, and everything had been bought with the utmost care and thought put into it. Padmé knew the baby would grow, and planned the clothing around that knowledge. Therefore, she had a good supply of newborn clothing and outfits that would fit a larger baby as well. She was very proud of her planning techniques. Anakin couldn't understand it.

Then, among the clothes, there were bottles and pacifiers and little squeaky toys, which Anakin had eyed skeptically when Padmé first showed this bag to him a couple days earlier. And a warm wool hat, and a little teddy bear, which had been Padmé's when she was a baby. And there was a front carrier for mobility, and a specially designed hammock for the baby to sleep in, so Padmé needed worry about buying a crib, and if there is anything I might have missed, rest assured it was in that bag. Or, at least, that's what Anakin's opinion was. And, of course, there was an emergency delivery kit, which Padmé had gotten on the off-chance that the war would force her into a situation which was barely suitable for childbirth, and in that situation, she'd find herself in just such a predicament. Anakin had felt a twinge of fear upon gazing at that item, and wished they'd have access to medical facilities, as much for his benefit as for Padmé's.

With the four bags, Padmé had a small bag of her own, with anything and everything they might have need for on their trip. There were permits, datapads, false identification cards which had helped them before, and, of course, food, for Anakin. Thankfully, when Padmé stepped into the galley, she found enough food to last them both for a little while. But she wasn't hungry. Not when she was about to drop dead from exhaustion. So she continued her search around the rear section of the ship, while Anakin revved the engines and called out his preparation for takeoff. She barely heard him.

Then she stepped through a doorway and found herself in the Captain's stateroom. The bed was big enough for two, and that's all that mattered. Wishing only to test whether or not it would do as a bed for her and Anakin, Padmé lay down and stretched out. She let out a great, contented sigh, felt the ship lurch forward, and was immediately asleep.

Anakin had no need for Padmé's assistance in the cockpit. Artoo was serving as his copilot, with Threepio ordered into the back to shut down, as he had become a nuisance. There had been no challenge as the beat-up hunk of metal left the atmosphere around Coruscant, and as soon as they were clear, Anakin mumbled a string of wishes under his breath and pressed the hyperdrive lever. The ship didn't take it smoothly, but it took it, and held it, much to Anakin's surprise. Then he let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding, nodded toward Artoo, checked the systems one last time, and retired to the rear of the ship, where he set about to find Padmé.

When he found her, Anakin couldn't help but smile. Padmé was fast asleep, curled up on the bed in the Captain's stateroom, her cloak still on, clearly forgotten in her exhaustion. And she still had her shoes on, too, which made Anakin chuckle, since she was always getting on his case for putting his boots up on her nice clean bed. But the worn-out look on Padmé's face was enough to sober Anakin up instantly, and with a loving smile, he sat down beside her and carefully pulled her shoes off, setting them aside.

"Ani?" asked a sleepy voice. "How long until we get there?"

"Several hours," he answered, leaning down to kiss her cheek as he unbuckled her cloak and pulled it off her shoulders. "Just get some rest and don't worry about it."

"I'm not worried," said the voice again, slowly falling back into the state of the subconscious.

"Of course you're not," whispered Anakin, kissing her cheek again. Then he threw the cloak on the floor and wrapped his arm around her, and without warning or wasted time, he was soon fast asleep.


	8. Chapter 8: Hyperspace

**Chapter Eight: Hyperspace**

Artoo's incessant whistling was what eventually pulled them both from their slumber. The droid was so agitated that Anakin had to delve into the Force in order to shut him up. It was a risky move, since he knew how powerful his Force signature was, and also knew that there were people in the galaxy who had nothing better to do with their time than track him. Therefore, when they'd left Padmé's apartment on Coruscant, he'd made sure to sever his bond with the Force, which was not an easy thing to do. He almost felt naked without it. But for safety reasons, he no longer trusted himself within the Force. And he'd put a clamp on that power, broken only by an extreme bit of meditation, which he knew would be no easy task, even for him. If the mediation proved too difficult, he could also break the clamp using the crystal in his lightsaber, together with the meditation. Either way, he was no looking forward to that task, if there were need of it in the near future.

Regardless, no Jedi can fully sever their ties with the Force, and Anakin held onto enough of the power for him to direct Artoo's mind elsewhere. Even that little bit of Force manipulation proved a tad harder than Anakin remembered, and he silently cursed the crazy universe they lived in. But now he was fully awake, and Artoo wasn't going to let things rest.

"What's wrong with him, Ani?" asked Padmé's sleepy voice, and Anakin glanced down to see her eyes still shut.

"Nothing," he said, clearing his throat. "Go back to sleep, love. I'll see what Artoo needs."

Then he rolled away from her, as carefully as he could so as not to disturb her, and grabbed a blanket from a storage compartment. He laid this over her, then kissed her cheek and slipped out of the stateroom, quietly shutting the hatch behind him.

"What in the hell is wrong with you, you blasted droid?" he mumbled now, glaring at Artoo as the droid successfully ignored him and rolled away toward the cockpit. "You're out of your robotic mind, if you ask me. I told you not to wake us unless we came out of hyperspace to find an entire legion of Republic troops waiting for us."

Artoo whistled and screeched in a stubborn fashion, almost as if he were yelling at Anakin as much as Anakin was yelling at him. His lights flashed dangerously as he rolled into his designated place within the cockpit and Anakin followed, eyes widening as he stared out the window, finally registering what Artoo was so worked up about.

"Oh, look there," he said, almost casually as he dropped into his seat, hands flashing over the control panel. "Republic troops, right here waiting for us." He coughed, and continued, almost under his breath. "Yeah, you were right, Artoo."

It almost seemed like the droid chuckled, but the mirth was short-lived.

"We're receiving a transmission," said Anakin as a light flashed upon the dashboard. "Prep the engines, Artoo, and prepare for lightspeed, on my mark. If they don't buy this, we'll be in serious trouble. Get ready to get us out of here."

_Unchartered vessel, give your name and destination_, said a crackly voice over the intercom.

"I never thought I'd be making excuses to my own troops," muttered Anakin under his breath as he reached for the transceiver, then cleared his throat and tried to deepen his voice lower than it already was. "This is _Falzar_, in route to the Trimyon System."

_A bit of a trek ahead of you, dropping out of hyperspace at this location_, said the voice on the other end, tinged with suspicion. _The Trimyon System is still nearly twenty parsecs from this point. What is the condition of your ship?_

"It's not as young as it used to be," answered Anakin casually, knowing that if he seized up, they'd only get more suspicious. "We were going straight through, but the presence of your armada made it impossible. We'll circumnavigate you and continue on our way."

_Not so fast_, said the voice. _What is your name, and your crew and cargo? And what business do you have in the Trimyon System?_

"I'm the _Falzar's_ Captain, Hayden Ricksur," was Anakin's lackadaisical reply. "There's only one other passenger, my wife, and we've got two droids. No cargo, besides what we brought from Cimarron."

_Cimarron?_ asked the voice on the other end, sounding quite surprised. _But this ship was originally in port on Coruscant. Cimarron is on the other side of the galaxy._

"You must be mistaken," answered Anakin calmly, hands flying faster than the speed of light over the controls, trying to access the main computer and keep the Clones from hacking into it through telecommunication. He knew his story would play out. He had researched it as thoroughly as possible, now it was time to see if it was worth the price. "We bought the _Falzar_ eight years ago, and I had a business trip on Cimarron, which we are just now returning from. If you're missing a vessel of this very make and model on Coruscant, then perhaps the reports coming from the Capital are correct, and it was stolen as they suggest. I can assure you, we've not set foot on Coruscant in nigh on five years, and we have the ship's records and our own identification papers to prove it." He continued before the man on the other end could speak. "As for why we are headed toward the Trimyon System, that should have just explained itself. We live there, and are returning home."

_Fine then_, said the voice on the other end, a tad annoyed. _Then proceed on your way, but we're watching you, until you get clear._

"Understood," answered Anakin, then he was directing their ship around the armada until he'd found a clear spot to make the jump. He turned to the droid at his side. "Punch it, Artoo."

As soon as the bands of hyperspace had enveloped them, Anakin took a deep breath and let it out, long and slow.

"Well, that was close," he said, his head now beginning to hurt again. "But at least we got clear. They'll investigate the disappearance of this ship on Coruscant and find that someone actually _did_ buy it, and since we gave them different names than we just told this guy, they won't be able to track us. The guy we bought this piece of junk from will keep his mouth shut. He got the money he wanted, and clearly has an opinion on the Republic. He won't buy into them that easily."

"Smooth," said a voice, and Anakin whirled around to see Padmé smiling at him from where she was leaning up against the doorframe, arms folded across her chest.

"And how long have you been there?" he grinned at her, sagging back into his seat and gazing at her with a look that often melted her like butter. "How many white lies did you hear your dashing husband tell to these guys? Or were you just staring at me the entire time?"

"Oh, I heard them all," laughed Padmé, lowering herself onto his lap and kissing his forehead seductively. "Every. Single. One of them."

Then she kissed Anakin's temple, which was one of his ticklish spots, and he dissolved into laughter.

The hyperspace shifts had been planned. In all, the _Falzar_ had taken over half a dozen between Coruscant and the Trimyon System. Anakin wanted their movements to be as normal as possible, but at the same time, there was no excuse for stupidity. And he knew the Council would send a search party out to find him and Padmé if they both were discovered missing at the same time. Yoda and Obi-Wan would not dare speak, because they both felt a disturbance in the Force, centered within the very heart of the Republic, and feared Anakin and Padmé were taking the only route they could. Plus, if their knowledge became common among the Jedi Council, they'd be suspected of knowing even more, and Anakin couldn't be sure that would end well.

As such, they took the most evasive path they could away from Coruscant, cutting far out of their way whenever possible. Each time they prepared for another jump, Anakin would chance the security code, never using the same one twice. That way, someone who was searching for them wouldn't be able to latch onto the code and follow them along each of the jumps. _That_, in the end, would lead to their final destination, a detail Anakin had an issue with.

It was a much longer trip than just taking a straight jump, and when Anakin finally pulled the _Falzar_ out of hyperspace within the Trimyon System, Padmé's temper was fraying. She didn't snap. She knew Anakin was as tired and irritable as she was. But she didn't have to be happy either. And she wasn't. She knew a little longer and she'd totally loose it.

There were over thirty planets in the Trimyon System, some smaller than Naboo, while others were twice the size of Coruscant. Only a handful of the planets were suitable for human occupation, and it was to one of these that Anakin directed the _Falzar_. It was a planet of average size, with a sparse population, mainly compiled of people who just wanted to get away from it all. The Republic called it Cyrden. Anakin had often thought of relocating Padmé to this place, if the situation arose that forced him out of the Order, and now he was taking advantage of what he knew. This planet would be perfect for them.

As the _Falzar _dropped out of the atmosphere and was given clearance to land, Anakin suddenly was hit with the reality of it all. He was no longer Anakin Skywalker, the Hero with No Fear. That would soon become a dangerous name in the Republic, of that he was certain. And Padmé would no longer be the Senator from Naboo, former Queen, the one who held her planet together when the Trade Federation threatened to tear it apart. The mere thought of letting go of themselves almost made Anakin falter. And then he glanced over to wear Padmé sat in the copilot's seat, arms crossed stubbornly, a glowering look on her face as she tried her utmost not to explode. And Anakin just had to smile. No, they wouldn't be who they used to be, but who they used to be had kept them apart. Now, they had a chance to be who they'd always been. Husband and wife, lovers, and soon to be, parents. It was well worth the sacrifice.

Gently, Anakin directed the _Falzar_ toward the piece of property he had bought for them. He'd gotten a good deal for it over three years earlier, right after their wedding, when he'd thought ahead to what the future might hold. It wasn't too big. There was enough land to shield them from neighbors, with a house in the middle, surrounded by trees, and a few outbuildings. He'd bought the land, originally, not for the house, but for the underground hanger made into a massive hill at the rear of the property. It was to this hanger he now directed the _Falzar_, maneuvering the vessel carefully and feeling quite proud of himself when it was settled inside, with hardly a scratch. But his pride was short lived when he turned his smiling face toward Padmé.

"Welcome home, my love," he said in a soft but cheerful voice.

"About time," she whispered back, and he knew she was gritting her teeth. She pushed herself up out of the chair and left the cockpit in a huff. Anakin sat stunned for a moment, then got up and followed her, directing Artoo to shut down the systems.

"I'm sorry it took so long," he tried to apologize, but then Padmé snapped and whirled on him.

"If I'm maimed for life, I'll blame you," she hissed, throwing his cloak at him hard enough to force him back a step. "My gosh-darn back hurts. My feet hurt. My neck hurts. My head hurts. Our child is an irritable mess. And I'm starving! And for what? Because you thought we were in danger staying on Coruscant! It wouldn't hurt you to wait a few more months, would it?"

"Padmé, I…"

"Don't give me any of your excuses. I'm _tired_, Ani! And I just want to sleep. How _hard_ is it to do that?"

"It's not…"

"Just… _don't_ talk to me. I don't want to hear it."

"Padmé…"

"Stop talking! Just… _stop._"

And he did. For a moment. Then Padmé took a mighty sigh and Anakin figured he had a right to say something in his turn.

"Fine thanks this is," he said, his voice edged with steel. "Who knows what was going to happen on Coruscant. And I decided enough is enough. I'm tired of sitting around letting others decide our life. And I will _not_ allow our child to grow up in that type of world. Who gives a damn what was going to happen to either of us. As a _father_, _I_ draw the line." He paused as Padmé's shoulders sagged. "And as a _husband_, don't you think I might know what's really wrong with my wife? Why the hell do you think I brought you here anyway?"

Then Padmé lost it again, just not verbally, but emotionally, and as her head dropped into her hands, she had just enough time to curse her whacky hormones before she burst into tears. It was such a sudden change, and not something Anakin was used to, that it took him a moment to register what was happening. He felt utterly helpless for a brief second, then he threw away whatever else he might have said, and decided that, yes, Padmé drove him crazy sometimes, but she was still his wife, and he was still too madly in love with her to care. So he went to her, and wrapped her in his arms, and she welcomed the comfort and cried until she started to hiccup. Then Anakin pulled away and brushed the tears from her eyes with his fingers and smiled at her.

"A little better?" he asked, and she nodded in response. "Alright, then, let me rephrase my last comment. As your husband, it's my _responsibly_ to know what's wrong with my wife and to see if I can't fix it. And you're lucky. Because I _can_. So how about we get our things together and head over to the house, which you will _love_, by the way. And I'll mix you up something to eat, and then we'll find a nice cozy bed and see what that does. What do you think?"

"I think that sounds perfect," whispered Padmé, swallowing her hiccups as best she could. Then she forced a smile, and reached up to give Anakin a quick kiss on the lips before he unfolded her from his arms and grabbed as many bags as he could carry. Threepio picked up the others, groggy from his state of shutdown, and polite enough not to interrupt, and then followed his Master and Mistress from the ship. Artoo rolled after them all.


	9. Chapter 9: A New Life

**Chapter Nine: A New Life**

"Ani!"

Padmé was yelling from the porch again, and from the tone of voice she was using, Anakin guessed it wasn't good. He stood up, groaning as his back stretched, and wiped a hand across the sweat on his forehead, accidentally smearing grease as he did so. He didn't seem to notice as he stretched again. He didn't have to acknowledge Padmé with his own yell. She knew he could hear her perfectly fine.

"That blasted sink is clogged again, and it's coming up in the wash tub! Why on earth did you have to buy us _this_ house? Nothing ever seems to work properly!"

It was always the same. Such things used to worry Anakin, now they just annoyed him. Of course the house was falling apart. He'd bought it for a very good price, bent on the knowledge that he could repair anything that decided to break. He still held firmly to that belief, and it still held true because, thus far, he'd been able to fix anything. It was what kept him on his feet. It was what kept him sane. And it helped him forget the issues with the Council and the Republic, for a little while at least.

_Three months_, he thought to himself. _We've been gone for three months._

But now the issue with the breaking of things was starting to get old. Even _he_ had to admit that. He sighed almost wearily, though it was still early morning.

"I'll be right up!" he yelled back, then set down his tools and wiped his hands clean. He was fiddling with a speeder he'd bought cheap in town. Cheap because it didn't work. And he was in the process of making it work, because he knew they'd need one. Padmé had stuff she needed to get before the baby came, and when the baby did decide to come, Anakin knew they'd probably need a speeder, at least to fetch a doctor, since Padmé was bent on having the baby at home, or if things turned poorly, they'd need a fast ride to the emergency care.

The same emergency care Anakin had visited himself, several times already. He remembered that little fact as he left the shop and ran up the hill toward the house. And for his own dignity, I'll just not mention any more in regard to those issues right here.

Padmé remained on the porch and watched Anakin as he ran toward her. She'd entered into a foul mood as soon as they'd landed on Cyrden, mainly due to hormones, as Anakin was quick to discover. He vividly remembered a few nights after their arrival, and what exactly they'd done that entire night long. It was as if Padmé had loved him forever. It was the most amazing thing that had ever happened to him, and he honestly wondered if pregnancy actually _did_ that to people. At least, normally.

Padmé quickly learned something about the effect her pregnancy had on her husband. While her mood changes were not questioned in her political field, where shifts were common among the various members, they had a whole different response in her personal life. Anakin, she discovered, didn't care for her biting his head off one minute, then bursting into tears the next, though he took it very well and was always there to comfort her when she needed it. She explained it, as best she could, and she knew he understood, but she honestly couldn't blame him. So, following the breakdown aboard the _Falzar_, she decided to make some changes. No more stress, no more worry, and if she felt like biting the head off something, there were plenty of chickens. And Anakin supported this change, knowing firsthand what stress did to her, and besides, he'd always loved chicken for dinner.

So now Padmé stood on the porch and watched him as he came up to her, and she commented to herself on how handsome he was, as she often did. One hand rested lazily across her expanding belly, while the other braced her back, which ached from all the standing she'd done already that day. It wasn't long past dawn, but the days seemed to start earlier and earlier in the Skywalker household, and it was a welcome change for both of them.

"Alright, what's the issue now, my love?" asked Anakin with a smile, trying hard not to groan self-piteously as he kissed Padmé lightly on the cheek and allowed her to lead him into the kitchen. The sight was nothing along the lines of convincing, but he'd come prepared, and swallowing a very loud sigh, he dove under the sink and began tinkering with the pipes.

"I really wish this house didn't have so many problems," sighed Padmé, then smiled to herself as she saw Anakin reach for a towel, twirling it up in the way he did, though she saw no point in it. "At least it keeps you on your feet, Ani."

"I live for this," he joked, sputtering as water flew at his face. He wiped it away with the towel and went straight back to work.

"Yes, well…" started Padmé, then she sucked in her breath and bit back an exclamation as she stumbled backwards, scraping the chair behind her against the hard floor and she clutched at her lower abdomen. Anakin's head jerked up so fast that he hit it against the bottom of the sink and he cursed.

"What's wrong?" he asked, his face edged with concern, as he pulled himself to his feet and came over to help Padmé sit down.

"I think the baby wants to get here soon so she can help daddy," laughed Padmé, a bit nervously, as she tried to gather her breath. "That was the first contraction, and it doesn't feel like a false alarm. We'll…" She took a deep breath. "We'll just see what happens." She took Anakin's hand and smiled up at him. "Don't worry, Ani. We've got the rest of the day ahead of us. I don't think she'll get here that fast."

"Yeah, well, I doubt I'll be able to settle down at all today," Anakin answered, then glanced back at the sink. "Drat."

"Go on, big daddy," laughed Padmé, stroking her belly gently, as if that might calm the energetic baby inside. "You'll be fine. Let's get this sink fixed, then if you could help me get some of the stuff from the garden inside, we won't have to worry about the frost getting it. I think I may still have a while left."

Anakin gave her a withering look, almost unbelieving, then he turned his attention back to the sink as she laughed.

As it were, the baby didn't come that day. The contractions had increased to every ten minutes by late afternoon, then they started to back off. Anakin fetched the doctor when Padmé became concerned, and when the doctor checked her over, it general consensus was that it actually was a bit of a false alarm. It had been the start of labor, but without the water breaking, and without a lot of muscle pressure, nothing was going to happen. So all they could do was wait.

Early the next morning, Padmé woke Anakin up to inform him of more contractions, these rapidly getting closer together. He'd bolted out of bed, almost reaching into the Force as he did so, and grabbed his clothes, jumping about the room as he struggled to get into them. Padmé laughed despite herself, the laugh being cut short by another contraction, and then her eyes had grown worried and she'd glanced quickly up at Anakin.

"Hurry," was all she said, then Anakin was out the door and in their borrowed speeder for the quick drive into town. He barely got back in time, the doctor in tow.

Leia Organa Amidala Skywalker was born just as dawn reached it's searching fingers up over the horizon. And, as Anakin stood at the window gazing at the sunrise, Leia secure in his arms, he remembered that first night back on Coruscant and the dawn that had met him and sought to sooth him after the terrors of his dream. He tried not to think too hard about it.

"Oh Ani," whispered Padmé from the bed, making him turn, surprised at how weak her voice was, and how pale her face had become. Regardless, her eyes were bright and shining, and he tried his hardest to smile around the lump in his throat as he gazed at her.

_There was an explosion,_ he kept reminding himself. _This isn't exactly an explosion, is it?_

"Is she beautiful?" the voice was barely audible, but Anakin smiled despite himself.

"Yes, she's very beautiful," he said, sitting down on the bed beside her and lifted Leia so Padmé could see. "She looks just like you. She's going to be stunning when she grows up. I'll be hard pressed to keep all the idiots off her. There'll be quite a few."

Padmé tried to laugh as she reached up to stroke back the thin strands of hair that lay across Leia's warm head. Her hand came to rest on Anakin's and their eyes met, the stare they shared saying what words could only attempt. Anakin leaned down and kissed her long and gently on the lips, pulling away only when Leia begged for his attention. He was a father, and Padmé was a mother, and their daughter was the most beautiful baby he'd ever laid eyes on, and they were happy. Anakin Skywalker was known to dwell on things that didn't need to be dwelled on, but the Hayden Ricksur side of him took life as it came, and would cherish every day he had with his wife and daughter, before they were torn away from him, _if _they were destined to be torn away. Anakin half wished he'd come to that conclusion earlier.

Within a few days, Padmé was well enough to leave her bed and walk around the house. She claimed she felt fine, but the truth was, she was exhausted. The childbirth, coupled with the events on Coruscant, which subsequently led to their untimely departure, had left her weak and weary. She was strong, Anakin knew, and the doctor convinced him that she would need a full recovery, but in the meantime, she needed rest, and lots of it. And so Padmé took care of Leia, sitting against a massive pile of pillows on the couch, while Anakin set out to become a gourmet chef, succeeding in spectacular fashion.

Weeks passed, and Padmé's strength returned, but still Anakin took care of the cooking when she was too busy or too tired. Despite her return to health, she was still a mother, and with that position came some other details, such as lack of sleep and midnight diaper changes. Anakin tried his hardest to beat Padmé to Leia's bedside when she woke in the middle of the night, but he was never fast enough, and even if he was, Padmé always woke up anyway. So he compensated by taking over some of the chores in the house.

Leia was four months old when Anakin woke early in the morning to the sound of his comlink chiming on the bedside table. It lay there, and he took it with him wherever he went, but it was never linked, and since Obi-Wan and Yoda were the only two who knew the frequency to link with it, he was deprived of communication by that method. Therefore, when his comlink went off now, he knew it had to be either Obi-Wan or Yoda, and was awake in an instant. Then, concerned that the sound might wake Padmé or Leia, he gripped it in his fist to muffle the sound and pressed the link button.

"Skywalker," he said in a very low voice, glancing over his shoulder as Padmé turned over and groaned sleepily.

"Anakin, I need to speak with you immediately." It was Obi-Wan, also keeping his voice low, and Anakin guessed he was in a place he couldn't easily talk at.

"Yeah, about that, Master," sighed Anakin as he tossed back the sheets and got out of bed, no longer trying to keep his voice low as it was clear Padmé was awake, and Leia had already begun fussing in her cradle. "Do you _know_ what time it is?"

"The middle of the afternoon." The voice sounded smug, and Anakin knew his Master was _clearly_ aware of what time it was on Cyrden.

"Dawn, Master," Anakin practically hissed as he grabbed his clothes and left the room to dress in the warm kitchen, kissing Padmé's cheek as she rolled out of bed to tend to Leia. "Not even. And I can't say I get that much sleep anymore. So have a little compassion."

"Ah, the joys of fatherhood."

"You wouldn't know."

There was a moment of silence on the other end, then Obi-Wan spoke again, brushing Anakin's last comment away as one might a fly that is buzzing about their head.

"I'm on a transport to Cyrden right now, if your information is correct. And I've taken all the precautions you laid down to me in your last message. It wasn't easy, but it'll work." Anakin knew Obi-Wan had severed his own tie with the Force, and knew how hard it was for his Master as a result. He had a moment of pity, then Obi-Wan spoke again. "I've got urgent news to pass along to you, that really shouldn't wait any longer. Do you have a place we might speak without the fear of foreign ears picking up on it?"

"Our house is as safe as they come, Master," assured Anakin, jumping about the kitchen on one foot as he tried to get his pants on. "Padmé would be more than happy for you to join us."

"As long as I wouldn't be intruding…"

"Not at all, Master."

"And I wish you'd stop calling me that, Anakin. You're a disgrace to your former rank, _that_, at least, you should be aware of right now."

"I am, Obi-Wan." Anakin paused, then brushed the thought away. "Will you need someone to pick you up from the spaceport?"

"If it wouldn't be a bother for you, Anakin."

"Seriously, Master? You're the biggest bother I know of. When do you land?"


	10. Chapter 10: Disturbance

**Chapter Ten: Disturbance**

It was a four hour drive to the nearest spaceport. Obi-Wan hadn't known Anakin's specific location, so he'd originally made for a port on the other side of Cyrden. From there, he'd taken a short ride on an interplanetary shuttle to the closest spaceport Anakin could think of. But it was still a four hour drive, and Anakin made sure to leave as soon as he could that morning, so as not to leave Obi-Wan waiting.

Padmé was thrilled when Anakin told her. They'd made a point to stay out of town, and definitely out of the political spectrum of things. And since they'd both spent the majority of their lives in the spotlight, always rushing from place to place, it was nice to get away from it all for a while. Anakin had laid down the law when they'd first come to Cyrden, that there was to be no stress whatsoever. And with new baby Leia to keep them busy, they definitely didn't need any more stress in their lives.

As such, Padmé was ecstatic about Obi-Wan coming to visit, because he was sure to bring plenty of news from the Republic, though she doubted any of it would be good.

Obi-Wan's shuttle was just touching down when Anakin pulled up. They greeted each other as long lost brothers might, then Anakin threw Obi-Wan's single bag into the speeder and they were off.

Another four hours were ahead of them, but neither man seemed to notice, so caught up with discussing the little things in life to notice. Anakin told his former mentor all about Leia, and how Padmé was doing, and more about Leia, and about the house, and even more about Leia, and about the work he did as a technician. He'd quickly gotten a boat-load of clients needing droids and personal transports fixed. Anakin didn't specialize in the physical maintenance, but people all over the area swore he could get a tin can to fly if he wanted to, and he often did, only the tin cans were in the form of mechanical objects that had seen better days. But it was a good job, and Anakin did well at it and got enough money to support his small family. Padmé had held onto just enough of her former wealth to keep them alive, but hadn't dared to keep any more.

Obi-Wan listened to Anakin talk with rapt attention, bursting into laughter whenever the conversation turned back to Leia. It was clear his young friend was completely smitten by his new baby girl, and didn't care to stop him. It was nice to see Anakin happy about something for once. And it was nice, too, to see him looking more like a human being and less like a battle-stricken Jedi Knight who just crash landed his destroyed military transport onto the surface of Coruscant.

Obi-Wan talked to, telling Anakin a whole slew of stories about the goings on of the Jedi Order. He vividly described several events that happened within the Temple, planned and carried out by Padawans. He knew Anakin would enjoy hearing those type of stories, because when Anakin had been living in the Temple, he'd made a point of conspirating with the younglings against members of the Council, primarily Master Windu and occasionally Master Yoda. It never seemed to fly when you got tangled up with Yoda, but that never stopped them from trying. And Anakin laughed as he heard them, and wondered why on earth he left the Order when this sort of stuff was still going on. But, clearly, the Padawans could handle themselves well enough, so he didn't regret his decision too badly, plus Obi-Wan was leaving out the darker side of things. There was a darker side, of this Anakin was certain, and Obi-Wan was saving it for Padmé, since they both knew she'd want to hear it.

The afternoon was growing old when Anakin directed his worn out speeder into town and stopped by the general store for some items that Padmé had requested. Obi-Wan accompanied him, having discarded his Jedi robes before leaving Coruscant, in favor of more casual attire. And he was amazed as he watched how well Anakin handled himself, and how well the people in the general store knew him. When at last they were in the speeder and on their way again, he was strangely quiet, and at last, Anakin turned to him and asked him what was wrong.

"It's just strange to me, Anakin," answered Obi-Wan in a low voice. "You've grown into an amazing young man, just like Qui-Gon said you would, and I never noticed. You were always my apprentice, and now it seems like you're training _me_, not the other way around. I can't believe I ever doubted you, or ever tried, subconsciously, I know, to keep you away from this life. It's suited well to you."

"And to Padmé," replied Anakin with a grim smile and a sidelong glance at his old Master. "She's brighter here than she ever was on Coruscant, even with all her jewels and money." He laughed. "It's like I never knew my own wife. Not until we got here." There was silence between them for a moment, then Anakin couldn't keep himself from dropping a little joke at his Master's expense. "As for the training, Obi-Wan. It starts as soon as we get in the house. You're going to learn all about babies."

And fear suddenly flashed in Obi-Wan's eyes.

Anakin was true to his word. As soon as they entered the house, Padmé came to greet him, carrying baby Leia in her arms. Anakin took Leia from her, cooing over her and tickling her stomach as only a father would. Then, after Padmé had given Obi-Wan a mighty hug and exclaimed over the white hairs that had appeared in his blond beard, Anakin sent a sly smile in his Master's direction and set Leia into the old Jedi's arms. Obi-Wan paled, and Anakin burst into laughter, and right on cue, though she had no idea what was going on, Leia started to cry.

"Now it's my turn, Master," laughed Anakin as Padmé kissed his cheek and returned to the kitchen with Threepio. "You found it quite amusing to put me into difficult situations and expect me to live. Now you get to feel like I did. Crying baby, what do you do?"

"I'm… sure I don't know," stammered Obi-Wan as he tried not to hold onto Leia without squeezing her. He realized he probably looked quite hilarious. No, he was _sure_ he did, because Anakin just laughed more.

"Alright, I'll give you a break," sputtered the young Jedi Knight, patting Obi-Wan lightly on the shoulder. "She's crying because she has a bad diaper." He shrugged when Obi-Wan turned his horrified face toward him. "She did her business while I was holding her. I figured it would give you an opportunity to change a diaper." He paused, scrutinizing Obi-Wan's face. "Is that… revulsion I see on her face, Master?"

"Absolutely not," defended the stoic Jedi, swallowing hard as he said it.

"I could almost swear…"

"No, I refuse that sort of accusation. I am perfectly capable of handling this. After all, I was the one who ate the worms, remember?"

"No, Master, if I remember correctly, you scoffed and nearly puked, and _I_ was the one who at the worms. You thought it was disgusting."

"It was!"

Anakin burst into another round of laughter and didn't try to stake his claim on that memory.

"Now would you stop your laughing and help me out here! Your daughter is going ballistic and you're just standing there! You win, Anakin, I admit it. I can't handle this. But I will, because I know you're trying to, how did you put it, _train_ me. Now what in the blazes do I do?"

"Master!" cried Anakin, suddenly sobering and catching Obi-Wan unaware. "Don't use that kind of language in front of the baby!" He lowered his voice so only Obi-Wan could hear. "Padmé would _kill_ me if I said that word in front of Leia. Trust me."

"Yes, well, I'm not your wife's husband, and I have a hotel in town, so… there."

"Not tonight you don't, Obi-Wan," answered Padmé matter-of-factly as she left the kitchen with a platter in her hands. "We have a guest bedroom. For what reason, I have no clue. But you'll stay in there tonight. And don't worry about your language. Nothing you say can ever be as bad as what Ani says."

"Don't bet on it, love," said Anakin defensively, then he motioned for Obi-Wan to follow him, and the struggling Jedi Master did so, in a manner that nearly made Padmé double over in laughter of her own.

The diaper changing incident was one for the records, and if it weren't for Padmé's intervention, Anakin would have recorded it for just such a reason. He had his heart set on making a video documentation of the event, for putting in the Jedi Temple archives. He swore it would have been well worth it, and very educational when such things became common law within the Jedi Order. Obi-Wan wasn't pleased, but Padmé handled it quite well, without loosing her cool, as always. And Anakin let her, but only because he loved her. Either way, Leia's diaper got changed, and Obi-Wan received his education and was more than happy to turn the baby back into her mother's arms when it was all over.

Dinner was a welcome time, and the talk was joyous and relaxed. Padmé talked about her garden, and the Cyrdian kittens she'd been given by a neighbor. One lived in Anakin's workshop, where it kept him company, while the other slept curled up by Leia's cradle while the baby slept, or on top of the laundry when Padmé was trying to put it away. They were massive cats by now, but welcome as companions and guards around the property.

And Anakin spoke more about Leia, eliciting much laughter from Obi-Wan, and Obi-Wan again told the stories from the Temple for Padmé to hear. And they laughed and talked, and Leia lay calmly in Anakin's arms, gazing up at him with Padmé's big brown eyes, fully trusting in him. And as the meal came to an end, Obi-Wan noticed this, and he fell silent.

"It was a lovely dinner, Padmé," he said as the talk ended and the table fell into it's own silence. Padmé smiled and rose to take Leia from Anakin so she could be fed. Threepio came into the dining room to clear the table and Anakin stood up, stretching and motioning toward the sitting room. The gentlemen took their mugs of beer and found places to sit in comfort, then waited until Padmé returned and lay Leia back into her father's arms.

"She loves you, Anakin," commented Obi-Wan as he gazed on the baby's sleeping face. "It never ceases to amaze me."

"Me either," assured Padmé, kissing Leia's head, then giving Anakin a quick peck on the lips before sitting down beside him. "I swear my Ani has changed before my very eyes."

Anakin smiled fondly at her, then back down at Leia. A moment of silence followed, then they both looked up at Obi-Wan, who had turned thoughtful, and strangely enough, a bit sad.

"Obi-Wan," said Padmé, and her voice was a whisper, as if she didn't want to speak it. "What has happened while we've been gone?"

Then Obi-Wan told them. He told them everything, and didn't try to keep anything to himself. It was a dismal story, and not what anyone would have wanted to end this lovely evening, but it needed to be told.

Chancellor Palpatine had seized the Senate not long after Anakin and Padmé left. He named himself Emperor of the Republic and formed laws all around him. Laws that would make it impossible for him to be taken down from power. He did not fear what this course of action would result in, and as such, had revealed himself to be the Dark Lord of the Sith, Sideous, the Master of Darth Maul, Count Dooku and all the others. And, it was discovered, the Master of a new Sith by the name of Darth Vindor. Obi-Wan described him as a man encased in a black suit, with a black mask and a deep voice. He was greatly feared, no doubt made that way, but Obi-Wan knew the suit hid something, such as a broken man. There were rumors he'd once been a Senator, before Sideous had taught him the ways of the Force and turned him to the Dark Side.

Once Sideous had rose to power, the Jedi Council dared not confront him. Master Windu urged the Jedi to lay down their arms and try not to tempt this evil. Master Yoda and Obi-Wan hadn't liked this train of thought, but they feared for their safety if they dared to defy, so they didn't. In secret, they had gathered as many loyal Jedi as they could, and these they put into hiding, to be kept away from the Empire and the Jedi Council. Master Windu had practically taken over the Order, and Yoda feared he was following in Sideous' footsteps. It was, indeed, a dark time for what once was.

"Yoda and I could do nothing," sighed Obi-Wan. "Ahsoka was right all along. The evil that has been growing within the Senate has also taken over the Jedi Order. And we are hopeless to stop it. Those of us who are loyal to the Republic, and the Order as it once was, are now banished from it. We are outcasts. You were right to leave when you did, Anakin. You would have been tempted, of that I am certain. The chain of events was not a coincidence. Yoda and I believe that Sideous was trying to turn you to the Dark Side, and when you defied him, he was forced to do things himself. We do not know where you found this… _Darth_ Vindor, but I have no doubt he was not Sideous' first choice."

"You don't mean…" gasped Padmé, clamping a hand to her lips in shock. "Ani?"

"I'm afraid that was his initial motive," answered Obi-Wan with another deep sigh. "The Force is clouded. I cannot see, but I can feel, and none of this feels right."

"So what does Master Windu have to do with this?" asked Anakin with a furled brow. He was just as confused as the other two were.

"We don't know," was Obi-Wan's reply as he took another swig of beer. "Yoda and I suspect he's long been tempted by Sideous, and when Sideous took over the Republic, Master Windu gave up on everything we've been fighting for and decided to throw his lot in." He shook his head. "It didn't help, though. Sideous took over the entire Clone Army and turned them on the Jedi. Those whom Yoda and I have relocated were able to survive, as well as the few we managed to get out before the attack, but the majority of Jedi were slaughtered. Those who surrendered… we don't know. They've probably been tortured into giving out the secrets of the Order, or worse yet, turned to serve Sideous' dark power."

"And the younglings?" whispered Padmé, gripping Anakin's arm so tightly that he grimaced.

"They survived," assured Obi-Wan. "Master Windu relocated them to a new training facility on Dantooine. We were able to get them out and hidden away, mostly among families who have no love for the Empire. It was fortunate, too. When the Clones turned on the Jedi, they were also sent to Dantooine, and would have slaughtered the younglings had they been there. I fear Master Windu has said more to Sideous than any of us would have liked. I fear they are in league with one another."

"Then Master Windu is still alive?" asked Anakin, half rising before Padmé pulled him back down beside her.

"For now. He is practically Sideous' slave. I doubt any of this went as he would have wished it."

"How _would_ he have wished it?" groaned Anakin, dropping his head into his hands moments before Leia cried out in his lap. Padmé was up in an instant, reaching for her, and Anakin deftly complied, barely aware of what he was doing.

"I must get her to bed," apologized Padmé, carrying Leia over to Obi-Wan, who put a hand gently on her head and stroked back the soft hair. "Say goodnight to your Uncle Obi-Wan, Leia." Then she carried her back to Anakin, who kissed her on her forehead and smiled down at her when she grabbed a handful of his hair. "Say night-night to daddy, sweetie baby."

"Goodnight Leia," whispered Anakin, kissing her again. "Sleep tight, baby girl. Daddy loves you."

Then Padmé left the room and the two men were left alone, to continue their conversation.

"Much is uncertain, Anakin," said Obi-Wan, leaning back and pressing his fingers together in front of his face. His eyes were closed tightly. "All we know is that things are not the same. The war is over. There is no need for a war when the enemy we were fighting is now in control of the Republic. The Separatists have been destroyed. Darth Vindor slaughtered then and melted every ounce of battle droid still in commission. They are no more. There is only the Empire. And it has corrupted the Jedi Order from the inside out."

"Who is left to defy them, then?" asked Anakin with a fight brow. "When they have the army _and_ the Jedi?"

"Not all the Jedi," reminded Obi-Wan. "And there are many who defy them. As I just told you. Those whom Yoda and I have gathered, plus the younglings, who will grow up knowing right and wrong a lot better than they might have if they'd remained at the Temple, under the control of the Council. And Ahsoka is still out there, though where she is remains a mystery. And not all the Clones followed Sideous' orders. Rex left, and we have evidence that many others did as well. They dribble in, from time to time, and join in with us. They are irreplaceable because they were able to sense this from the beginning, much like Ahsoka. It makes me wonder how the rest of us could be so blind. But as for defy the Empire? We can't. Not with their numbers compared to ours. But we will bug them. _You_ already have, my dear friend, by disappearing."

"Then they know I left," smiled Anakin grimly. "What do they think happened to Padmé? Were they suspicious when we left together?"

"No," answered Obi-Wan, suddenly very grave. "Those things you felt, in my apartment, while we were talking to Yoda?" He took a deep breath. "They were real."

"What do you mean?" asked Anakin, concern etched on his face.

Obi-Wan nodded, then told him.

"The morning after you left, Captain Typho received a message that Chancellor Palpatine wished Senator Amidala to take a week off from the Senate and go to Naboo to plead a case before the Queen. Typho didn't bother to double check with Padmé and went ahead and got her ship in order. That's when Dormé noticed that Padmé had left, and called off the ship. Typho complied and was leaving to take it back to the hanger when a bomb went off, obviously manually ignited, to explode when the ship was leaving the planet. It was clearly an assassination attempt on Padmé's life, planned by Palpatine himself. Typho went down with the ship, as well as the guards and two of her handmaidens who were on board. Dormé was the only one of Padmé's retinue who survived, and she was quick to put two and two together. She left Coruscant as fast as she could and came to find me. I was on Tatooine at the time, and immediately went into hiding. We both did. _That_ little detail, I'm afraid, is a bit of a long story." Anakin opened his mouth to press Obi-Wan into telling, but Obi-Wan did even without prompting, which was a surprise. "Dormé and I feigned a relationship to stay under the eye of the Empire, since Palpatine was quick to realize she'd survived. To make things more convenient, we married, not more than a month ago. It, uh, makes things easier."

"I would imagine," grinned Anakin, but he was not feeling pleased, and in no mood to tease his Master about going against the Code. The truth was, they were all outcasts, and it troubled him. "So what was the initial reaction?"

"Surprise and grief," answered Obi-Wan soberly. "They were all stunned. The entire galaxy. They believed she was dead, and still do. Even Sideous does. He's crazy with mirth about it. And since Yoda and I told the Council you were going through a period of voluntary meditative seclusion, your own disappearance was only noted a week after you left. Many suspect it was in reaction to Padmé's 'death', and they, at least, would be correct. You would have left the Order if anything happened to her."

"I might have died," agreed Anakin, then gazed down at his hands, folded in front of him, it all becoming clear to him. "Maybe that was it. My dream. There was an explosion, and Padmé died. Maybe Sideous gave me that idea to dissuade me, to drive me mad. Because he thought it would work. And to the best of his knowledge, it did."

"Maybe," agreed Obi-Wan, but he didn't voice his concerns. He honestly didn't believe Anakin's dream had come true through Padmé's so-called "death". Anakin's dreams always came true. They always pressed into the realm of the unknown. And Obi-Wan thought, without saying anything, that Sideous might have been showing Anakin the future, but that future was still possible. Obi-Wan knew, deep in his heart, that Padmé's death was fast approaching, and in the end, Anakin's dream would be fulfilled. But he dared not voice his thoughts, for the idea was almost too much to bear, for him, let alone for the young man who was Padmé's husband.

The two men fell into a brooding silence, broken only when Padmé padded into the sitting room and took her place beside Anakin, reaching for his hand and holding it gently in hers. He smiled at her, almost a relieved smile, and Obi-Wan watched this with a sinking heart.

"The galaxy is in turmoil, Padmé," he said softly, when at last she turned her attention to the aging Jedi Master. "The Senate is no more. Had you stayed any longer, you would have been assassinated by Palpatine's command. You can do nothing now for the Republic, but stay hidden and pray for the Sith to be overthrown."

"It is well that I refrained from seeking information about the Republic's fate any sooner," she answered, casting her eyes downward. "It might have been too much to bear, and I had to think of Leia."

Obi-Wan nodded, then silence reigned for a moment longer before he finally took a very deep berath and pushed himself up from the seat, suddenly aware of how soft it had been.

"That was a delicious dinner, Padmé," he said, reaching for Padmé's hand, which he promptly kissed, earning a well-placed frown from Anakin.

"I hope you'll be staying a while, Obi-Wan," smiled Padmé, unaware of what he was doing, or that he was doing it to get Anakin's gall up.

"I planned on a week," answered Obi-Wan, returning the smile. "Then I must get back to Tatooine. I, uh, have other things I must attend to."

"Oh?"

"Never mind, love," said Anakin quickly, reaching over to take Obi-Wan's shoulder and led him away from her and in the direction of the guest bedroom. "We'll have a little talk once this old man is asleep. Don't worry, you'll find what I'm about to tell you about this geezer to be quite refreshing. Trust me." His sly grin could not be denied.

"I hope I don't regret anything," said Obi-Wan a bit fearfully, glancing hard at Anakin like he always did when he was trying to gauge his former apprentice's mood. As always, it was impossible to discern.

"Only everything, as usual," laughed Anakin, and Obi-Wan shook his head with a hard sigh.

"Bloody bother," he grumbled.


	11. Chapter 11: Paths Divided

**Chapter Eleven: Paths Divided**

Padmé was quiet the next day, and all that next week, up until the morning Obi-Wan left for his return to Tatooine. She bid him safe journey, and to give her best to Dormé, and to hurry back soon to see them, and that was all she said. She'd acknowledged Anakin with a simple glance and barely returned any form of affection when he leaned over to kiss her cheek.

The news on Coruscant had affected Padmé deeper than either Anakin or Obi-Wan had expected. They couldn't simply let things be. She needed to know what had happened, but that didn't make things any easier.

Many Senator's had been assassinated, some in subtle ways that might take decades to unravel, while others were killed in plain sight, and their murders arrested and executed. It was clear Palpatine had ordered the assassinations, but what maddened them all to no end was that, when all was said and done, the assassins, too, were taken out by Palpatine's order. It was as if no one could be trusted, and why should they. Palpatine was, after all, a Sith Lord.

But Padmé was still troubled, because deep down, she knew she had the power to rally the remaining senators who had made up the Delegation of Two Thousand. If enough Senator's gathered, she was sure it would turn the tides on the Empire. It was a difficult undertaking, but she was confident it could be done. Even Obi-Wan had expressed his belief in that course of action. Only Anakin had had enough foresight to send Padmé a hard look when the topic arose, as if to tell her, "Don't you dare."

But she had to dare. She needed to. She couldn't simply stand by and let the rumors swirl that her death had ben an unfortunate accident. Yes, she and Anakin had gone into hiding to save themselves from the evil that was taking over the Republic, but the time of hiding was over. The Republic needed her, or, at least, what was left of it.

As soon as Anakin's speeder had disappeared on the road to the spaceport, Padmé sprung into action. She packed her things, and Leia's things, and sought out Artoo and Threepio to accompany her. Then, with Artoo's help, she warmed up the _Falzar_ and was very soon bursting out of the atmosphere around Cyrden.

Their first stop was Naboo, where Padmé quickly located her parent's house and landed in a designated landing area near that location. It was still too far to go on foot, and suspecting Anakin to be hot on her tail, Padmé caught a taxi to her parent's front door. They answered her knock, surprised to see her, not only alive, but with a baby in tow, and quickly let her in, knowing she had a good reason, and knowing further that she wasn't going to tell them.

"I need you to watch over Leia," was all Padmé said in explanation, then she laid down all of the information she could think of in regard to Leia's wellbeing, handed over Threepio, since the droid was more drawn than most to the infant, and was out of the house as soon as she could. It wasn't that she wanted to leave, it was that, if she stayed too long, she would never be able to pull herself away from Leia. It was a bitter parting, and heart wrenching, and the only thing that stopped Padmé's parents from begging her to stay was the knowledge that her daughter was doing this to protect Leia, and it wasn't easy for her, even so.

Then the _Falzar_ was in hyperspace to Coruscant, Padmé in the pilot's seat with Artoo as her copilot and it was done.

Anakin was not amused when he returned home to find Padmé and Leia no longer there. Padmé had left a note for him, explaining that she had gone to Naboo to visit her parents, but there was no way, in every known name of the Force, that Anakin was going to believe that. Digging out his lightsaber and replacing his worn out work clothes with the attire he'd formerly worn as a Jedi, he left his house, not even caring to glance behind, and took the newest of their two speeders down the road, to where one of their neighbors was trying to sell a starfighter. The fighter worked, barely, and Anakin traded the speeder in payment for it, since a four hour drive back to the nearest spaceport was closing on ridiculous.

Then, without regret or a backwards glance, Anakin was blasting away from Cyrden, headed in the direction of Naboo and hoping he wasn't too late.

He was.

By the time he gained landing clearance and remembered where Padmé's parent's house was, Padmé had long been gone from the planet. Anakin knew that. He had delved a tad deeper into the Force during his time in hyperspace and no longer could sense Padmé's presence either on or near Naboo. Her Force signature was headed toward Coruscant, and fast, but Anakin decided to wait a second longer to see Leia one more time.

It was no exaggeration when I say Ruwee and Jobal Naberrie were surprised to see Anakin Skywalker on their doorstep. He still had a reputation, he was quick to discover, but that did not deter him. He was there for a reason, and he didn't care what anyone thought.

"Is Padmé here?" he asked as calmly as he could, inclining his head in acknowledgement as he did so.

"Uh, no, she's not," answered Jobal suspiciously, making no move to allow Anakin into their home.

"Then is Leia here?" asked Anakin, his eyes narrowing slightly, knowing if he tried to keep his calm demeanor it would look as forced as it would have to be in order to work.

"How…?" started Ruwee, trailing off into stunned silence.

"She's my daughter," answered Anakin, almost harder than he intended, knowing his eyes were flashing as she spoke. "I know Padmé came here, and I suspect she came to drop Leia into your care. A wise decision on her part, considering if she'd left Leia with me, she'd also have to give me an explanation. Which she did not. And now I'm here, and she's on her way to Coruscant, where I _know_ she's going to get into trouble, and since it's taking a while to get things moving here, I guess I have to clarify. I would _like_ to see my _daughter_, if you so please."

"Of… course…" stammered Ruwee, then they stepped aside and allowed Anakin to enter, taking silent note of the lightsaber that swung at his waist.

Leia was a bright ball of energy when she saw Anakin. She screamed with delight, smiling broadly despite her young age, and held out her arms to him. He smiled back, knowing it looked fake, and wondering if babies could tell when something was troubling their parents, then reached down and picked up his precious angel in his arms.

"How are you today, my sweet little girl?" he asked softly, kissing the top of her head as she grabbed fistfuls of his hair and tugged at it. "Did mommy come and leave you here? Now why would she do a thing like that?" Leia cooed loudly and Anakin smiled down at her. "Promise me my little baby girl isn't going to do anything like that when she's all grown up. Daddy would be very unhappy about that. Daddy's already unhappy, at mommy, for what she's about to do." Anakin sighed loudly and lost his sweet little voice, replacing it with one clearly wearied of the whole situation. "Yeah, the first thing you can promise is not to go into politics." Leia burst into baby laughs, tinged with hiccups, and Anakin smiled down at her, knowing it wasn't a joke, but taking it as a joke anyway.

"You will watch her, won't you?" he asked, turning back to Jobal, who had unknowingly started to hover near them. He knew she didn't trust him with Leia, and didn't blame her either. After all, it must have been a surprise for Padmé to suddenly show up one day with a baby in tow.

"Of course," answered Jobal, but her voice was stiff.

"Fine then," said Anakin, forcing a smile, and knowing it looked more like a sneer than an actual smile. "I'll try to bring Padmé back as soon as possible. Until then, I don't expect you'll hear from either of us, although I'll try my hardest to keep you posted. Padmé is in danger, you have to realize that, and I don't know if she'll get out of it… alive. I'll see what I can do." Even _he_ was surprised by how calm he sounded. He definitely didn't feel it.

Then, with one last kiss on Leia's forehead, Anakin handed her over into the arms of her grandmother and was gone. He didn't have to explain himself. No, he didn't _need_ to explain himself. Ruwee eyed him warily, but as the young man walked past him, he could see a look of sadness and pain in his eyes, and suddenly knew how Anakin felt. It wasn't easy for Anakin to walk away from Leia, and even harder to walk _toward_ Padmé, knowing what she'd done to him.

The trip through hyperspace was nothing if not torturous for Anakin. He was left alone with his thoughts, which had always been a bad place for him to be. He tried not to think of what he might find on Coruscant, and hoped, at least, that Padmé would be alive when he got there. It was the most brainless thing she'd ever done, walking into a war zone, of sorts, knowing full well that Palpatine was in charge of the galaxy and had ordered the assassinations of several of her friends in the Senate. She'd been a target, and once she revealed herself to the Senate, Palpatine would not rest until she was dead.

_What have you done, Padmé_, thought Anakin to himself, massaging his temples as his fighter's thrusters slowed down to signal the departure from hyperspace. He took a deep breath and wrapped his hands around the fighter's steering controls as Coruscant came fast up before him. He was back. He never thought he'd see the day, but he was back, much in the same way he'd been over seven months earlier, when he and Obi-Wan had been sent to retrieve the Chancellor. Now Palpatine was in control of the galaxy.

_Wow,_ thought Anakin grimly as he passed his undercover clearance code to the flight controllers stationed around the planet. _A lot's changed since then._

And that was the truth. The entire planet was crawling with clone patrols. They were everywhere, pressing into everyone's business. Anakin had to change his entire plan of action as soon as he discovered this, because he wasn't interested to drawing attention to himself. Not only would Palpatine be out to get him, but the Jedi Council was intent on bringing him on trial for his desertion. Master Windu, no doubt, would be even more interested than before to get his hands on him as well. And there was this illusive Darth Vindor to deal with as well. Anakin was not very interested in coming face to face with that guy.

As such, Anakin reversed his direction and made for the lower regions of Coruscant, where he landed in a designated fighter bay within a larger transportation dock. People were everywhere, mainly creatures from distant planets who dwelt in the lower levels because of their reputation for trouble. From his Jedi instinct, Anakin was able to guess many of their motives. There were the prostitutes, and the smugglers, and those trying to get good bargains on illegal substances. There were drunks, swindlers, and strewn among them, a decent man or two, driven down to these areas of Coruscant due to misfortune. They often walked on the edge of the group, in worn coats, with their heads down and their hands in their pockets, not willing to look up, even to a friendly face. There were more of these, Anakin noted, and guessed it had to do with the Empire. He wondered how many of these men were actually in hiding. Wanted men, like him.

One man caught his attention, sitting calmly against the wall of a strip club, head in his hands. Anakin glanced at him and knew him, though he couldn't see his face. He hesitated for a moment, then walked casually over to him, so as not to elicit too much of a reaction from the passersby. As things would have it, just as he came near to the man, a clone squad appeared from around the strip club and started toward them, glancing around as they did for an hint of disturbance. A decent looking man talking to the lowlife of Coruscant, Anakin knew, would only cause trouble.

"Hey, you, dirty scum!" he yelled then, making his voice hard as steel as he tried to blend into the noise and commotion around them. The man's head shot up and Anakin started when familiar brown eyes met his, but his Jedi training was returning in full force, and he was able to keep his face from showing any hint of recognition. "Get your filthy vermin self out of here! What do you think this is? There's people who walk round here. Now get yourself off these streets, you disgraceful lump of dirty dreg!"

The man stood up, eyeing Anakin strangely, and Anakin knew the man recognized him. But whatever this particular man had experienced in the past year he'd been away, it hadn't been enough to blunt his reaction time. He did as Anakin instructed and slunk away into an alley, out of sight of the clone patrol and the people on the street. Through his thin connection with the Force, Anakin was able to tell when the man slipped into the strip club via a side entrance located in the alley. With a swagger in his stride, feigning pride at his accomplishments, Anakin strode past the clone patrol, trying hard not to pull the top of his cloak further down over his face, and slipped into the club.

No sooner had Anakin entered the foggy building than he was assailed by several women of ill repute, who pulled the hood of his cloak back, exclaiming over his gorgeous face and kissing him until he thought he'd drown. He was not interested, nor turned on by these women, and while they swarmed over him, trying to get his clothes off, he glanced quickly around for the man. He finally located him, in a corner, and with a tilt of his head, he signaled to Anakin that he'd found a safe place to talk.

With many apologies, Anakin pulled away from the women, grabbing the wrist of one that was trying a little too hard to keep him in one place. He snapped her wrist back, not enough to break the bone, or even sprain the muscles, but hard enough to make her cry out and leap aside. He smirked at her surprise and pulled his hood back up before she could respond. Then, when the other women swarmed on her to see if she was alright, Anakin slipped away, silent and mysterious. The man from the streets grabbed his forearm and tugged him into a dark, empty hall, only used for transporting trash from the club to the alley. Both men held their breath and listened, but it was clear no one was looking for them, and Anakin couldn't sense anything in the Force, so with a nod of his head, Anakin signaled the all clear.

"I'm glad I found you, General Skywalker," said the man in a low accented voice, keeping his voice down.

"Same here, Rex," answered Anakin, finally putting a name to the face, for it was, indeed, the clone Captain, Rex, who had been under Anakin's command in the 501st. He was older now, and his blond hair had grown out to frame his dark face. He also sported quite an amazing beard, no doubt started as soon as he'd left over a year earlier. It hadn't been long after Ahsoka had left, and Anakin had supported the departure, trusting Rex's doubts about the Republic just as Ahsoka had. It had often troubled him how those two had seen this coming, and done something about it, while everyone else just sat around and waited.

"Have you been able to locate Ahsoka?" asked Anakin before Rex had a chance to speak.

"I have," answered the clone grimly. "She was the one who sent me here. She wished she could have come but, uh, circumstances do not allow. She sent me instead. And as she wasn't able to find out where you've been residing, we had to trust what Obi-Wan said. It was his information in your regard that made us decide to find you."

"Wait, wait, Rex, start from the beginning. I don't understand."

"Forgive me, Sir. I should have told you. General Kenobi located Ahsoka and I right after the Empire was formed. When he visited you on Cyrden, he contacted us in regard to what he'd learned from you. By the time we finally decided to seek you out, the General was returning to Tatooine and we figured Senator Amidala would be making a trip to Coruscant. Ahsoka and I knew you'd be on her tail, which we were right about, and so I decided to come here, in hopes of finding you. It was a lucky guess, but obviously it worked."

"I'm glad it did, too," nodded Anakin, then folded his arms in front of him thoughtfully. "So, what brings you here to find me? It's clearly not a social call. Not in the middle of a strip club."

"You handled that quite well, Sir," grinned Rex. "I suppose you have a knack for that."

"I try," answered Anakin with a wry smile, then he eyed Rex carefully. Ahsoka knew all about Anakin and Padmé's relationship. That was what finally made her leave the Order. She'd learned what was right, and realized that the Order was being ingulfed by the Dark Side. She'd known Anakin's own doubts, and his reluctance to leave, knowing how much the galaxy depended on his skills. As such, she'd promised not to tell anyone about anything. It was a vow of silence, and though Anakin assumed Ahsoka would have told Rex, he now had doubts that she had. Obi-Wan and Yoda, too, had probably kept quiet.

"Tell me, Rex," said Anakin casually, trying to remain cool despite his rapidly beating heart. He was trying not to get impatient. "How much do you know?"

"I beg your pardon, Sir," asked the suddenly startled clone.

"It's alright, Rex. I'm just curious what you know."

"Well… Obi-Wan and Yoda haven't said a lot in regard to you and Senator Amidala. All they told me was that you left the Order and went into hiding. And that you feared for Senator Amidala's life and she consented to go with you into hiding, in order to survive whatever might happen. They said you guessed Chancellor Palpatine's intentions long before they came true, and that's why you've both disappeared. And that's why I'm here right now. Senator Amidala shouldn't have come back, and you shouldn't have followed her. You are both needed to assist in the Rebellion that is forming. So General Kenobi says."

"A Rebellion, then," sighed Anakin, rubbing his temples for the millionth time that day. "I should have guessed. Comprised of the remaining loyal Jedi and _who_?" His eyes flashed without him meaning them to, but he was tired, and he had to find Padmé, and things were starting to spiral out of control.

"Them, and the clones who decided to desert," answered Rex grimly, though he was still used to Anakin's mood swings. "Plus everyone who hates the Empire. There are quite a few."

"Enough to balance the terms?" snapped Anakin, then let out a very heavy sigh. "I'm sorry, Rex. It's just, I know Palpatine, and he's taken over the Clone army plus any of the weakminded Jedi who are fool enough to follow him. He rules this galaxy by instilling fear into the hearts of everyone. What chance does a Rebellion have against him?"

"A chance, General Skywalker," answered Rex quietly, then silence surrounded them both as they contemplated this. At last, Rex looked up and glanced about them. "Come, General. We must hurry if we are to find Senator Amidala before she enters for the Senate. I suggest we make for her former apartments, or at least locate someone she might have contacted."

"Any ideas?" asked Anakin, relieved to think of actually doing something.

"Senator Mon Mothma is a good start," said Rex, turning away and heading back to the door which lead into the alley. "They're good friends, and the Senator is loyal to the Republic, though she's somehow gone unnoticed by the Emperor."

"Emperor?" asked Anakin.

"Palpatine," answered Rex, which, of course, Anakin should have known.

"Then we start with her, and see how it goes," said Anakin, more as a fact than an actual question. Rex nodded anyway.


	12. Chapter 12: An Unfortunate Turn of Event

**Chapter Twelve: An Unfortunate Turn of Events**

Anakin sent Rex in to speak with Mon Mothma. It wouldn't have done for him to show his face, since it had been quite clear, on the roads between the lower regions and the Senate building, that Anakin was a wanted man. His face was on every search poster, and warrants were out for his arrest. He was beginning to have second thoughts about coming, and wondered if Padmé would have been able to take care of herself. He quickly threw that idea away. Padmé was his life, and he wasn't going anywhere without her.

As it were, Mon Mothma would not speak to Rex, as he was clearly a clone, and clones were no longer to be trusted in the minds of those who remained loyal to the Republic. She demanded to speak to Anakin, whom Rex had referred to as his "Master". When Anakin came, then, she was clearly surprised, having not expected to see him there, then mumbled something about, "It figures," and agreed to speak.

Padmé had said very little to Mon, although she _had_ tried to make contact. All Mon could tell them was that she had deterred Padmé from returning to 500 Republica, and instead, had put her up in an apartment of her own, on the other side of Coruscant. She never used it anymore, but it was a safe place to stay, until the Emperor ordered her assassination as well. She gave Anakin and Rex permission to find Padmé there, but urged them to stay undercover and speak to no one.

"These are dark times," she said in a low voice, as if afraid that someone might overhear. "We are all living by a thread. Be wary. The Emperor has eyes and ears everywhere."

Then Anakin thanked her, and with a silent nod toward Rex, they left, making sure to do so as subtly as possible. Mon's words were not heartening, but they were taken nonetheless.

_Still in hiding_, thought Anakin to himself.

The small speeder Anakin had rented was a pile of metal, and that was pretty much it. The engine was worthless, and the speed capabilities were lame. But it moved, and stayed in the air, and when they finally reached the small apartment that Mon had sent them to, they were still alive. And that, in Anakin's opinion, was all that mattered, though he was clearly disgusted by it.

Turning away from the speeder, Anakin surveyed their surroundings. There wasn't much to look at. It was an apartment building, much smaller than 500 Republica, but rich enough to clearly not belong to the middle class. It was so different than how he and Padmé had been living for the past seven months. And in one of the upper stories, directly where Mon had said her apartment was, there were many windows lit and inviting. Anakin almost got a warm spot in his heart, until he realized that, at any moment, this entire building could explode at Palpatine's command.

_Cursed Sith_, he hissed to himself, then he turned to Rex.

"Alright, Rex," he said, suddenly changing back to the way he'd been during the Clone Wars, when he was in charge. "I'll take care of Padmé… er, Senator Amidala. You try to make contact with Obi-Wan. I need him and Dormé to get here as soon as possible. Tell him what's going on. He needs to be ready for anything. And if she's willing, I'd like Ahsoka to come as well. Us three work best when we work together. I've got a bad feeling about all of this."

"Right, Sir," answered Rex, in his cooperative voice, snapping to attention and nodding. "With your permission, Sir, I'd like to make the transmissions away from this building. If the Empire is watching us, or this place, they'll be aware of outgoing communications."

"Fine," agreed Anakin, nodding toward the speeder. "You can take it. I'm sure Mon has one I can borrow if I need to. But be careful, and get back here as soon as you're done. I might need your help."

"I'm on it, Sir." Then Rex was gone, and before the speeder had even left the landing area, Anakin was through the doors and into the apartment building's main lobby.

It was easy work from there. Anakin knew where Padmé was, even without Mon's directions, and when the lift stopped at her level, Anakin was careful to keep his cool. He rang the bell and waited, and waited some more, and when no one came to answer it, he rang it again. Then he pulled out his comlink and sent a private communication to Artoo, who he was sure was in the apartment with Padmé. The droid answered, knowing his Master's beacon by heart, but could do nothing help him. Anakin was able to gather, strewn among the beeps and whistles, that Artoo was in shutdown mode and would have to have a manual startup or wait until he was fully charged to automatically return to service mode. Anakin wasn't interested in that. All he wanted was to find Padmé. Artoo assured him she was in the apartment, though his shutdown mode prevented him from knowing her exact state of mind or location.

_Blasted droid's been spending too much time with Threepio,_ mumbled Anakin to himself as he unconsciously pulled a bit more of the Force into his command. If he gathered too much of it to himself, he was at risk of attracting the attention of Palpatine or Vindor, or any other of the Force sensitive creatures under the conrol of the Dark Side.

Then, with a hard punch using his electronic hand, and with a lot of help from the Force, Anakin was able to smash the control panel that activated the door. It remained shut, but was now unlocked, and he was able to pry it open with his hands.

The apartment was empty and silent when Anakin entered. His hand went to his belt and he deftly grabbed his lightsaber, holding it securely in his hand. He hoped he wouldn't have to use it, but the situation was so precarious that he couldn't be too careful. One thing was certain. He was sick and tired of this whole business and he wished he could go home with Padmé and forget everything. Leia needed them both, and he'd never forgive himself it one of them didn't return.

Walking over to the charging station where Artoo was plugged in, Anakin continued scanning the apartment with his eyes as he unhooked the droid from the socket. Artoo whirred, but kept quiet as Anakin waved a hand in front of his scanner to keep him quiet. They both knew what was at stake if they were caught, and Anakin was too on edge to take any chances.

"Come on," breathed Anakin through clenched teeth, then caught a movement out of the corner of his eye and ignited his lightsaber, lifting it in front of him to ward off blaster bolts. She should have known. There were few Jedi left, and none dared reveal themselves openly. Besides, Anakin had a blue blade, and one gloved hand, despite being cloaked in black to conceal his identity. But she, too, was on edge, and wasn't taking any chances.

"Show yourself!" cried Padmé, her voice shaking with fear as she held her blaster up to Anakin's head. She reached up to hold it steady with two hands and swallowed hard, fear and pain in her eyes. As fast as he could, Anakin reached up and pulled down the hood of his cloak.

"What the hell are you doing, woman?" he snapped, his eyes flashing, which only strengthened Padmé's fear, for she didn't drop her blaster, though it faltered in her hands and her eyes showed her surprise.

"Anakin Skywalker!" she said, her voice still shaking and beginning to break. "What… what are you doing? Where's Leia?" Suddenly horrified with what she had almost done, Padmé dropped the blaster, almost as if it had burned her. She looked to wear it lay on the floor, her face petrified, then looked up when Anakin spoke.

"She's with your parents, just like you left her," he said, his voice hard as nails. "And they hate me, I'm glad to announce. And so does the Empire. I'm wanted all over this damn city, and so are you. You can't help them, Padmé. Just let go of this and come home with me. We don't belong in this war anymore. We've done enough already."

"No…" breathed Padmé, as if she had no breath left to answer with. "I… Ani, we… we can't. It's not… it's not possible. We have to try. We have to…"

"Padmé, listen to me…" pressed Anakin, coming onto her and instilling a new fear in her heart.

"No, Ani, no," she begged, lifting her hands to hold him back. "Don't touch me, Anakin Skywalker." She brushed past him, leaving him stunned and staring at a blank wall where she'd stood a moment before. "Listen to _me_, would you? These people are dying, and at who's hands? At the hands of the man _we_ wanted to lead us." Her voice was growing hard in it's own way, and she was gaining a new strength by it. "We made a mistake, a major mistake, and who is brave enough to rectify that mistake? We are. We're the only ones who can. Because we know what he can do. Ani, please hear me out. This is _our_ fault. We can't just… leave these people to suffer like this."

"Padmé…" started Anakin slowly, turning toward her almost menacingly, though his eyes had calmed as he finally met her own. "You've stepped out too far this time. Yes, we elected him, but we had no idea. He was too cunning for us to pick up on. And now, well, this was his plan, not ours." He took a deep breath and softened his voice as he tried to approach her again. She stepped away from him. "Padmé, the time will come. We'll be stronger. But not now. Now, Leia needs us. We can't just leave her."

Padmé quickly shook her head, unable to speak around the lump in her throat, knowing he was right and not wanting to believe it. They had never fought, and now here they were, fighting because she wanted to do something and he wanted to run away. Again. He wanted to hide. Again. She was tired of hiding.

"Anakin, I can't," she finally whispered.

"Why not?" he demanded, eyes flashing, not trying to keep his voice soft and comforting because, obviously, it hadn't worked.

"I just… can't," she managed, looking away.

Any man would have done it. At least, any man intent on showing his wife the folly of what she was trying to do. Okay, then again, _no_ man would have. It was too precarious, and Anakin knew it was only something idiots did, but he did it anyway. He lunged at her, securing her head with one hand and dragging her to him with the other, then pressed his lips to hers, trying his hardest through this simple touch to get her to understand him. She didn't. She pushed him away as hard as she could, took one look into his dangerous face…

And slapped him.

Hard.

Right on the cheek.

You could see her handprint imbedded right there, as soon as the blood started rushing in.

It was quite beautiful.

And hurt like hell.

"What the shit!" was Anakin's reaction, his hand reaching up to touch his burning cheek. He was stunned, almost too stunned to speak, and when Padmé saw that, she was immediately ashamed of what she'd done. She'd never purposefully hit him before. She'd never felt like she had to. She knew in her heart that Anakin hadn't been trying to hurt her. Her reaction had been uncalled for, and she wished she could sink into the floor right there.

Instead, she did the next best thing.

"Get out," she ordered, though her voice shook quite audibly. She pointed toward the door.

"No," he answered.

"Out!"

"Make me."

Then she grabbed a pillow from the couch and threw it at Anakin, as hard as she could, though it didn't even hurt when it hit him. And when he started to look like he might laugh, Padmé grabbed the next thing her hand could reach. It was a glass vase, probably an antique, and she hurled it toward him, catching him unawares. Only his Jedi reflexes allowed him to dodge it, and it smashed into a million tiny pieces against the wall.

"Mon's not going to like that," he commented, though now he, too, was getting mad.

"I said _out_ and I meant it," yelled Padmé, throwing another potential antique at him, only to have it dodged and smash up against the wall. "You have no right coming here and demanding I do as you say."

"I'm your _husband_," yelled Anakin back, reaching out with unheard-of reflexes and catching the next irreplaceable artifact that was hurling his way. He set it down hard on a side table, not breaking it, but making his point clear. "And you're acting like a novice bitch. Stop it!"

"You get out of here first!" yelled Padmé back, stalking out of the room and slamming the door hard behind her. The slam was enough to shake the very walls.

"Fine!" yelled Anakin. "I'll be sure to tell Leia you died a peaceful death!"

Then he slammed the apartment door shut with the Force and leaned up against it, breathing hard. _That_ had not gone well. It was their first fight, strangely enough, or at least, their first _big_ fight, and he felt terrible.

Padmé leaned up against the door she'd slammed, and for a moment she fought her emotions. But Anakin's last comment broke her heart completely in two, and she was consumed by the tears that were now running down her cheeks. Not caring who heard her cries, she sunk to the floor and sobbed, screaming at the world as she did so.

And Anakin heard her, hesitating at the door, then pulled his hand back and walked away.

He walked away.

It was the hardest thing he'd ever done.


	13. Chapter 13: Out of the Blue

**Chapter Thirteen: Out of the Blue**

"General Skywalker?"

Anakin looked up suddenly, startled out of his thoughts. He had that tendency, nowadays, to fall into his own contemplation. The fight with Padmé had hurt him deeper than he cared to admit, and what made it worse was the knowledge that it had hurt her even worse. Since then, he had tried to visit Mon's apartment to speak with her, but she was either not there or refused to speak to him. And he wasn't going to smash the locking panel again.

"What is it Rex?" asked Anakin, trying hard to sound interested and not downtrodden. He knew his face gave away his emotions perfectly well, but he couldn't help it.

"We're getting a transmission from General Kenobi, Sir. He has just landed and will be here shortly."

"Good," said Anakin, standing up and stretching, suddenly aware of how long he'd been sitting there thinking. "Any word from Ahsoka?"

"None since yesterday," answered Rex. "She said she'll be here as soon as she can. But Valrum is quite a distance from Coruscant, so we'll have to make do without her for a while."

"Agreed," said Anakin, turning to gaze out at the sunrise. He remembered that morning so long ago when he had watched this exact sunrise. Then he remembered the dream, and so sudden was the memory that he stumbled backwards. He felt pained and found that he couldn't breath, but it was no attack from the Sith. It was his own heart trying to tell him something.

"Sir?" asked Rex, clearly concerned. "What is it?"

"I've got to go, Rex," answered Anakin, glancing at him and then stumbling about for the activation key to their rented speeder. "Keep me posted on what you find out. When Obi-Wan and Dormé get here, let me know and I'll go pick them up from the spaceport."

Rex never had a chance to respond, because by the time he had opened his mouth to speak, Anakin was already in the speeder and racing away in the direction of the Senate.

Much had happened in the few days that had passed since the big fight. Padmé had revealed herself to the Senate, which was bad enough. They'd taken it as was expected, with fear and concern, and all throughout the galaxy, hearts of the Rebellion were sparked by the knowledge that one of their own was still alive. Emperor Palpatine, who was still known by that name in the galaxy, and not by his Sith name of Sideous, had taken it in stride. He'd smiled sweetly and greeted her warmly, but it was clear he was livid, at least in the mind of Anakin, who had watched the telecast on the holonet.

Since the beginning, Padmé had feigned the role of one of Palpatine's supporters. Her story had been convincing, even to Anakin. She claimed to have been taken hostage the night before the assassination attempt on her life, and during the time she spent away from the Senate, she saw the Republic try to take control of the galaxy, and gushed about how Palpatine had brought back peace and order. She claimed to support the end of the war, and felt that the galaxy needed a little more surveillance, therefore supporting the constant presence of the clone squads. She was in league with Palpatine, as far as anyone could see, and they hated her for it.

But in secret, Padmé's name was murmured behind the closed lips of the Rebellion. She was working with fellow Senator's, including Mon Mothma, to smuggle information through a spy network to the Rebellion leaders. She was the greatest two faced liar in the Empire, and Anakin had to admire her for it.

Anakin, himself, had remained hidden from sight. He'd gone to the Temple undercover and had surveyed the damage that had been done. The Temple was no longer how it had been. The clone attack had destroyed much of it, though it still stood strong, and there were remains of great battles all about the Temple halls. Blaster marks on the walls, lightsaber scratches on pillars, blood in the carpet. The bodies had been taken away, but no one had bothered to make things whole again. And, as far as Anakin could tell, the Temple was still being used by Master Windu and the remaining Jedi who had sided with Palpatine.

_What a cluster_, thought Anakin as he took this all in.

And now he was tearing through the streets of Coruscant, on his way to the Senate, because he couldn't keep away any longer. The dream had reminded him. It filled him with dread. For the first time, he got the feeling that Padmé's death would still happen, and he would still be unable to stop it. It wasn't over until it was over, and Anakin realized then how precious their love was, and how necessary it was not to take that for granted. He needed her, and he knew she felt the same.

At the Senate building, it wasn't hard to find Padmé. Anakin used the name he'd grown used to on Cryden, and since he'd also grown a beard during their time in hiding, he wasn't recognizable. When at last he was granted an audience with Padmé, he entered her new office cautiously and quietly.

"What is it, Anakin?" asked Padmé wearily when he'd closed the door behind him. It was obvious she was worn out and hadn't slept much since their fight.

"I wanted to come and apologize for what I did," he said quietly, folding his hands behind him and half bowing his head. "I was wrong, and I don't want things to be this way. You're doing what you can, and I'm proud of you for that. Don't think I'm not. Padmé, I really just want to make this right. I… I can't live without you."

"And you still think I should go back to Cyrden and leave all this be?" She'd seen through him far too easily.

"Well, I…"

"Anakin Skywalker, I am not a coward. Haven't I made that clear already? I will not take your constant pressure and have it work on me."

"Padmé, you're being a stubborn ass."

"And who did I learn that from?"

"Not me."

"Yes you."

"And what about saying no? You haven't learned _that_ from me? Because I've been faced with situations all the time that I've had to say no to."

"And you never have."

"Not when there's things at stake."

"Exactly!"

"Padmé, you're making this difficult."

"Not as difficult as you're making it."

"What about Leia?"

"What about her? She's safe, isn't she?"

"Yes, but…"

"Anakin, I'm not going to die."

"How many times have you said _that_."

"Enough for you to know it's true." She sighed. "Please, Ani, I'm not leaving. I can't leave. I can't just _go_ and expect them to figure this out."

"And I can't leave Leia to grow up without her parents. Haven't you figured that out yet? This is about Leia, not about you, or me, or the Republic. It's about our daughter. Padmé, she needs you."

"She needs a free galaxy to grow up in."

"She needs her mother."

"Please, Anakin, are you with me or against me?"

"Neither. I'm just here. And I need you. Please, Padmé, can't you just set aside your argument for a moment. I… need you. Right here. Right now. Let's simulate the moment Ahsoka caught us. Do you remember? I know it's been a while, and we've each got a few more white hairs, but I think we can still manage those particular positions."

Padmé smiled in spite of herself.

"I'd rather not, Ani," she said softly. "I have work to do here, and… I'm not in the mood."

"And when will you be in the mood, my love?" He was clearly irritated by her.

"When the Republic is back in order."

"Yeah, like _that's_ going to happen any time soon."

"Ani, if you're not going to help me, why don't you just leave? Like I said, I've got work to do, and you're not helping."

"Fine, then. I'll see you later. I'll be by."

Then he was gone, and as soon as the door closed behind him, Padmé dropped her head into her hands and sighed. This was becoming more complicated than she had thought. She'd assumed it would be a simple job of dropping in and saving the galaxy, but whatever had given her _that_ thought was clearly jacked up. And now her marriage was in danger because she was too pig-headed to admit how wrong she was.

_Ani's right_, she thought to herself. _This really isn't worth it. _She took a deep breath. _But what choice do I have?_

Anakin was just leaving the Senate building when Rex contacted him to say Obi-Wan and Dormé needed picked up from the spaceport. He did so, just as he'd said he would, but he spoke very little on the ride back to the dregs of Coruscant, where he and Rex were staying. Obi-Wan noticed this, but knew better than to ask. He knew what Padmé had done, and didn't blame Anakin for his reaction. Dormé, however, had never been told about Padmé's relationship with Anakin. All she knew was what she managed to pick up, and that was quite a bit, but never definite. As such, she noticed Anakin's silence and was concerned by it.

"Is something on your mind, Anakin?" she asked as they flew, and Obi-Wan shot her a look only after the fact. Anakin remained silent for a moment, figuring out what he was going to say, then took a deep breath.

"Padmé doesn't want to leave Coruscant," he said quietly, keeping his eyes on the speeders in front of them. "She thinks she's got to change things in the Senate. I've… _we've_ been trying to make her understand that Palpatine is evil. He's not going down without a fight, and when _that_ happens, I… _we_ don't want Padmé anywhere near that."

"Who's _we_, Anakin?" asked Obi-Wan carefully, eyeing him.

"Um… just… Rex and me, and Ahsoka when she gets here, and you, Obi-Wan, and all the people in the Senate who have Padmé's back. Mon wants her to get out of here as soon as possible. But Padmé won't even listen to her."

"I'll talk to her," was all Dormé said, concerned more for Padmé's safety than for the fact that Anakin was skirting pretty terribly around the topic. Strangely enough, she wasn't even suspicious of him. Maybe because she, herself, was married to a Jedi. That had a way of desensitizing her to what Padmé had done, if she'd even been thinking about that. All she thought, at that moment, was that Anakin was still a good friend of Padmé's and that he was just trying to keep her safe. She never even considered delving deeper.

Back in the dregs, Obi-Wan was more than happy to see Rex. They'd had contact through the year, but never one on one, and Obi-Wan was curious how Rex had been able to find Ahsoka, and how she was doing. Rex said little. He, too, was skirting around a subject, and Anakin decided not to press him. Whatever he was hiding probably wasn't his business, even though Anakin had been like an older brother to Ahsoka for three straight years.

Then, while Obi-Wan and Dormé were getting settled in, as easily as they good in the cramped space of the apartment Rex had acquired, Anakin pulled the former clone Captain aside and lowered his voice.

"Rex, I want you to find Padmé," he said. "Take my comlink and contact Artoo if you can't get her. She's either at the Senate or at Mon's apartment. I want you to bring her here. Tell her Obi-Wan came, and that Dormé is with him. If she doesn't believe you, I'll send Obi-Wan."

"I'll do what I can, Sir," answered Rex, then put a cowl over his face and went out. Obi-Wan watched this short conversation out of the corner of his eye, but said nothing.

Anakin had been cooking for him and Rex for the entire time he'd been on Coruscant. He never thought anything of it. The food was… edible, to say the least, and that's all that mattered. Two starved bachelors would eat anything.

_Ah, the joys of bachelor life,_ thought Anakin as he rummaged in the cooler, trying to find something that could be made into their dinner. _I never thought I'd be at this again. It was bad enough being a single guy on Obi-Wan's watch. Now I'm a married guy whose wife kicked him out of the house._

"What are you doing?" the petrified screech brought Anakin's head up, crashing into the underside of the cooler. That knocked his senses out of whack so he never had time to reach for his lightsaber. He rubbed the bump on his head and looked in the direction of the screech, finding Dormé staring at him with a horrified look on her face. "What are you doing?" She was persistent, at least.

"I'm… making food," said Anakin in the drawn out way that pointed out the obvious. He spread a hand out over the current layout of the kitchen, as proof that he was in the process of making some amazingly gourmet dish.

"Not on my watch, you're not," snapped Dormé, then shoved him out the kitchen, grabbing an apron to preserve her dress, then muttered as she surveyed their cooler. "Well, it will have to do."

"Hey, don't throw any of that away," warned Anakin. "That stuff cost money."

"Incredible," answered Dormé grimly. "I was almost certain you'd pulled this out of a dumpster."

"Be nice to him, love," chuckled Obi-Wan, walking toward the kitchen. "He's trying." Anakin gave him a murderous glance.

It was for the better, though, that Dormé do the cooking that night. Anakin _was_ trying, that much was true, but not to make good food, but rather impress his wife. He was less concerned with what she was doing in the Senate than that she still loved him. He was having doubts about her intentions, though he was certain he'd never stop loving her himself. _It was just a rough spot_, he kept telling himself, and was certain this was true.

Padmé stopped in her tracks when she entered the apartment. Rex had to check himself to keep from running into her. She sniffed the air, at first thinking it was Anakin who had cooked, and almost faltering in her stubbornness at the mere idea. Silently, Rex slipped into the other room, where Anakin and Obi-Wan were talking, leaving Padmé alone for a moment.

"Did you have any trouble with her?" asked Anakin in a very low voice before Rex had a chance to identify himself to the two men. Anakin had been tracking them through the Force since they'd landed outside the apartment, though his Force sensitivity wouldn't allow him to track them any further.

"No, she didn't struggle," answered Rex in a similarly low voice. "I think the presence of Mistress Dormé changed her ideas, for a little while at least." He glanced back at the kitchen through the open doorway as he did so.

Anakin nodded, and with supporting looks from the other two men, he went through the door and approached Padmé, who was already talking joyfully with Dormé. She did not notice him coming, and neither did Dormé, until he was right there and was speaking.

"I thought you'd enjoy some edible fair instead of the burnt stuff Rex and I manage each time we step into the kitchen." He grinned, but there was a lump the size of an asteroid in his throat, and he was clearly uncertain of himself.

Padmé met Anakin's eyes, and in them, she saw sincerity, and she simply couldn't be mad with a man who gave himself so fully to her. She smiled in return and reached out for his hand, no longer wishing to avoid physical contact with him. It had killed her every time he'd left during the Clone Wars, and she'd seen his face on the holonet but had been unable to touch him, and it was killing her again now that she had broken the contact herself. Feeling his hand in hers was the greatest feeling she'd ever had. And it made Anakin smile again, this time, a real smile.

"Well, I'm sure it wasn't _that_ bad," said Padmé in a soft voice, covering the distance between them in two steps. Dormé smiled secretively at them, but said nothing. No words needed to be spoken, by anyone, because it was clear some sort of an understanding had been reached between these two people, even if they weren't madly in love. After all, Dormé and Rex didn't know what Obi-Wan knew about them.

"I'd like to call a toast," said Obi-Wan suddenly, and he appeared at the counter like rain out of a clear sky, and had two bottles of expensive wine in his hands. He'd clearly gotten them from somewhere that wasn't the lower regions of Coruscant. But he offered no explanation, though Anakin's eyes begged for one, and filled five glasses with the liquid.

When all the glasses were held up together, Obi-Wan looked around at them all, his eyes suddenly serious. He opened his mouth to address the toast, but before the words were out from his lips, there was a brisk knock at the door. Everyone was startled and quickly set down their glasses to see who had come. Anakin hurried to the door and opened it, nearly stumbling backwards at the sight of the newcomer, and having to do so anyways when she stepped quickly in to get out of the rain that now blanketed all of Coruscant. Rex did not seem concerned, and neither did Obi-Wan, though his brow furrowed as evidence that he hadn't seen this coming. Padmé let out an audible gasp and clamped a hand to her mouth in surprise and Dormé, always the practical one in unexpected circumstances, hurried to the kitchen to put together a plate of leftover food from dinner. And Anakin just stood there, not moving, not even breathing.

"Good gosh, Master!" said the newcomer. "Close your mouth. You look ridiculous."

Anakin did as he was told, then finally realized he wasn't breathing and coughed to get his breath back.

"Snips," he gasped, then reached up to rub his temples before turning on her. "Ahsoka, what the _hell_ are you doing here? Don't you know what's going on in the Senate? It's a war zone." It was clear his words were having no impact on her, and he was running out of excuses. "Besides, Rex said you weren't coming."

"Ha! Leave it to Rex to bend the truth so I can have a grand entrance after all." And she swept her hand back, throwing off her cloak in one smooth motion, which really wasn't as flattering as it seemed, since she was soaked underneath.

"Goodness, Ahsoka, you're soaked," said Padmé then, coming out of her shock and taking over. "Dormé, help me get her into something dry. Do you have anything she can wear? Or else we'll have to find something of the men's that she can have."

"No, I've got something," replied Dormé, coming over to Ahsoka and handing her a plate of food. "Eat up while I find them."

"Thanks, Dormé, but I brought some with me," smiled Ahsoka, trying not to shake as the cold began to catch up with her. "Rex, my bag is in the speeder, if you wouldn't mind getting it for me."

"Of course," said Rex and obediently went to do as he was told, though, as Obi-Wan noted, he wasn't actually told to do anything. He wondered at this.

Then Dormé hurried to her bags while Ahsoka ate the food given her with near ravenous hunger, Anakin watching her with his mouth closed, though his bulging eyes made up for it. Obi-Wan went in search of another glass while Padmé tried to find a spare blanket, since the apartment wasn't exactly warm, and there was no heating source save the stove. Then Rex was back with Ahsoka's bag, and Dormé had procured a robe for her that would help keep her warm. And still Anakin did not move.

"Oh come on, Anakin," sighed Ahsoka, handing her empty plate to Dormé as she stood up and reached for her bag. "Get used to it, because I'm not leaving. And I doubt anyone in this room is interested in you gapping at me the entire time I'm here."

"True," said Anakin, snapping out of his current state and stumbling around for someplace to sit. "I guess I'm just… I don't know. Really surprised to see you. I didn't think you'd actually come."

"And why wouldn't I?" snapped Ahsoka, and it was clear her mood was fraying because of the cold and wet state she was in.

"Come on, Snips, none of that," laughed Anakin a bit awkwardly. "I've had enough women up my ass this week without you becoming one of them."

"How many exactly?" inquired Ahsoka, standing up and crossing her arms across her chest with a hard expression.

"Only one," smiled Padmé, coming over and sitting down beside Anakin, looping her arm around his. "And I promise to rectify that as soon as I can." She eyed him longingly, but only Ahsoka saw this encounter and simply raised an eyebrow at it.

"What can I say?" asked Anakin in his old arrogant manner. "They can't get enough of me."

"I can," said Ahsoka, then grabbed some clothes and went to change in the back room while the others waited.

They didn't have to wait long. Ahsoka was a fast dresser, not overly concerned with the way she looked, though everyone thought she now looked very grown up. She was now well into her eighteen year, and it showed. _She's a lady now,_ thought Anakin when she joined them at last. _Man, I've got to get used to this. Leia will be all grown up someday too. Damn. What's with me and girls? Why couldn't I have had all boys?_ That wasn't even an option, and he knew that. He couldn't live without the women in his life. They were what made Anakin Skywalker… well, Anakin Skywalker. They made him whole.

"When you are done contemplating life, Master…" suggested Ahsoka then, and Anakin looked up to see everyone staring at him. He mumbled his apologies and stood up to join the circle. Padmé handed him his glass and again they raised them together, but Obi-Wan didn't look serious this time. Instead, he looked almost happy. He smiled at Dormé and took her hand in his while Ahsoka gave Rex a secretively smile of her own. Anakin glanced at Padmé out of the corner of his eye and saw her eyeing the joined hands of Obi-Wan and Dormé. With a very subtle move, he lived his hand to gently brush the small of Padmé's back, feeling her tremble through his fingers. She shot a quick look his way, but he made no move to extract his hand and she returned her eyes to the circle.

"A toast," said Obi-Wan then, glancing around at all of them in turn. "To what makes everything worthwhile. The ones we love. The ones we fight for. Anakin, for being my brother. Padmé, for being the most incredible woman I've ever met. Rex, for your support and loyalty through this hard times. Ahsoka, always full of surprises. And to Dormé, for being my shining light and for making my time in exile absolutely amazing. I love you."

Then Obi-Wan kissed her and everyone smiled.

Then Anakin cleared his throat and all eyes were turned in his direction.

"And for my part," he said, glancing at Padmé, then back around the circle. "This hasn't exactly been an easy time here on Coruscant." He looked back at Padmé. "For that, I'm sorry. And I want to propose my part of this toast to the one person who keeps me sane. And no, it's not you, Snips." He shot her a sly grin, then raised his glass to Padmé. "To the love of my life." He paused. "No, that's what everyone says." And he started again. "To the one person who is as crazy as I am, or else we wouldn't be where we are now. You've given me everything, and I'll never stop loving you, even through all of this. Thank you for the four years you've been my life, and for giving me our daughter. I couldn't ask for anything more." He raised his glass again. "To the Skywalkers."

Then Padmé threw her arms around Anakin's neck and kissed him hard as the others cheered, thankful at last that Anakin had come out with it. Then they pulled away, about ready to clink glasses with the others when Rex spoke up.

"I know I'm just a clone, but I've got something of my own to offer to this toast," he said, and everyone turned to look at him curiously, except Ahsoka, who did not seem to be concerned by this. Then Rex turned to Ahsoka, much to her surprise, and Padmé and Dormé both gasped as he pulled a ring out of his pocket and held it out to her. And he got down on one knee to say the four most famous words ever heard: "Will you marry me?" And Ahsoka didn't actually answer, but reacted the same way Padmé had when Anakin had proposed. She leapt into his arms and kissed him hard and deep, and Padmé and Dormé jumped up and down while Obi-Wan shook his head, a smile on his face, and Anakin downed the contents of his glass in one swig. Without comment, Obi-Wan refilled it, a smile still on his face, and didn't watch when Anakin downed the second one and asked for a third refill, which Obi-Wan obliged to. This, he was good enough to hold onto until the circle was formed again and glasses raised in a toast. Then the glasses were clinked and everyone drank the toast.

"What?" asked Rex with a ridiculously broad smile on his face once the ladies had dispersed to gush over Ahsoka's ring. "You can't honestly expect me to stay single when there's all these married guys around me. _Anakin_, for one. Why didn't you tell me about Padmé?"

Anakin shrugged, a smile of his own tugging his lips involuntarily upwards.

"We like to do things… secretively," he said with a wink.

"I guess so. _Four_ years? You were, uh, _hitched_ during the Clone Wars, then?"

"Yep," he answered with a lighthearted note to his words. "Couldn't you tell?"

"Are you kidding?" scoffed Rex. "Of _course_ I did." And Obi-Wan burst out laughing, so unexpected was that answer that he couldn't help himself.

"I wish I could say the same," he gasped, then Anakin hit him hard on the arm, though that didn't stop his chuckling. "He was more closed than anyone I know, and yet I could almost read him like a book."

"That's not funny, Master," grumped Anakin, folding his arms stubbornly in front of him and trying to look _very_ mad.

"And what's this I hear about a daughter?" asked Ahsoka, suddenly appearing beside Anakin. "When did this happen?"

"Almost five months ago," smiled Anakin, welcoming her interest, since he remembered the times Ahsoka had been forced to handle babies during various missions they'd been sent on together. "Her name's Leia. She smiles like you wouldn't believe. You'd like her."

"Beware," warned Obi-Wan suddenly, and his voice was terribly sincere. "If you get him started, you won't be able to stop him. I spent an entire four hour ride from the spaceport to their home just listening to him talk about Leia." Anakin shot him a look. "_Not_ that I didn't enjoy it."

"She's so beautiful, Ahsoka," added Padmé, then she suddenly became quiet, almost sad, and looked up at Anakin. "I wish I could see her again."

"You will, my love," assured Anakin, kissing her forehead and tried his hardest to sound comforting. He wondered if it actually worked.


	14. Chapter 14: Clash of the Powers

**Chapter Fourteen: Clash of the Powers**

I guess they should have known it wouldn't last. It was destined to go down in flames, that's what everyone said. Or at least, that's the idea that was circulating the apartment the next day, as breakfast was being cleaned up.

Anakin had gone home with Padmé the night before, having fixed their altercations enough to at least enjoy the sexual activity one more time. He'd had a very sly look on his face, but had refrained from making any move toward her until they were in the speeder and on their way. Then, well, that was between the two of them. Let's just say, it wasn't the wine that made Anakin drive in a less than straight line that night.

Dormé had insisted Ahsoka sleep with her in the bedroom that night, and Obi-Wan had begrudgingly complied, bunking in with Rex on the two couches that made up the sitting room. They managed this for a couple of hours, until Obi-Wan shot upright, clearly fed up with the turn of events, and found that Dormé was awake as well. Their plans went out the window after that, and Ahsoka was kicked out of the bedroom and the door locked, though Obi-Wan and Dormé both claimed nothing happened after that. Ahsoka didn't mind it, and when morning came, she was curled up with Rex on one of the couches, wrapped in several layers of blankets and perfectly warm.

But, though the morning was a happy morning for the four who remained in the apartment that night, it was a much different story with the Senator and Jedi Knight who'd passed the night in the extravagant accommodations of Mon Mothma. Sure, their night had gone well, and both would claim it was the best they'd had in a _very_ long time, but that was the extent of it. And neither would say what happened, or what went wrong.

It was a simple enough situation. Just as breakfast was coming to an end, Anakin had burst through the front door, his face bright red with unmerciful wrath. Obi-Wan and Rex had rose almost simultaneously in order to retain him, though the women in the apartment had no reason to be afraid of his mood. He wasn't going to hurt anyone. He was just plain mad.

"That damn woman," cursed Anakin, among other things, and as he vented, Obi-Wan and Rex were, somehow, able to push him down in a chair and hold him there. But no sooner had Anakin said those first three words than Ahsoka and Dormé were throwing on their cloaks. They said nothing. They didn't have to.

Padmé was an emotional wreck when Ahsoka and Dormé arrived at Mon's apartment. Artoo let them in, seemingly unperturbed with the sudden appearance of Ahsoka, and the immediately made their way to where Padmé was, curled up on in a ball on the large bed, crying her eyes out. Neither of them said anything, but sat down on either side of her, trying to soothe her tears away simply by their presence.

"Now, now, dearest," said Dormé gently. "What's all this about?"

Padmé sucked in her breath, causing a choking sob to burst forth, and pushed herself up and off the bed. She paced toward the window along the far wall, brushing the tears away angrily as she did so. She didn't care so much that Ahsoka and Dormé see her cry, as much as the realization her argument with Anakin had brought forth in her mind. She was angry, not at him, but at herself, and it only made her cry harder.

"He _hates_ me," she sobbed, turning back to them and trying to keep her voice steady as she spoke. It was easier said than done. "I know he does. He hates me for what I made him do." Another mighty sob wracked her body and she bent slightly over as the tears enveloped her again. Dormé made to go to her, but Ahsoka pressed a hand on her arm to stop her. When Dormé looked at her, Ahsoka shook her head, just enough to make her point clear.

"It's slipping away!" cried Padmé, her voice filled with misery and despair, then her tone dropped to a near whisper. "It's slipping away, and it's _my_ fault."

"No, Padmé, no," insisted Ahsoka, standing up and going to her as Dormé followed suite. "It's not your fault. There was just a misunderstanding."

"No, _I_ came here. He followed me to protect me. He didn't want me to come. He told me to go back with him and I didn't. It's all _my_ fault."

Dormé glanced at Ahsoka and saw the former Jedi making no moves to protest. They both knew that Padmé was right. If she hadn't insisted on coming and putting the Senate back into a position to defend the Republic, none of this would have happened. It was a test of their marriage, and so far, it was failing.

"He knows you meant well, Padmé," said Ahsoka at last. "And he understands you better than anyone. You're both stubborn." She tried to smile reassuringly, but it was difficult to do when a sense of foreboding is bearing down on you. Because there _was_ something amiss, and Ahsoka felt it almost instantly, coming from within the Force. Darkness was inching toward them, and suddenly she felt like she needed to get out of there, and take Padmé and Dormé with her. Something was about to happen, almost instantly, and they didn't need to be there when it did.

Sheer instinct took over then, and if you'd have asked either one of the women what happened later on, no one would have been able to answer.

Ahsoka hadn't pressed into the full power of the Force the entire time she'd been in hiding. It had been too dangerous. But now, a voice inside her head told her that, without it, she'd be no more than an obstacle for whatever was coming for them. So she broke down the barrier and allowed the Force to flow through her, filling every part of her being until she could think clearer than she had in a very long time. She stretched out with her feelings, hoping Anakin had followed the call of his instincts and taken down his own barriers around the Force, or at least was clear-headed enough to feel her trying to contact him. She was lucky. He had.

"Anakin, we need you here," she said, pouring all the urgency and fear into those few words as she could before the bomb broke.

Which was an instant later.

Ahsoka's lightsabers were in her hands even as the door flew down in the main room of the apartment. They were ignited before she'd even entered that room and found the door splintered all over the place, as if it were made of wood and not metal. But she wasn't stunned. Not with the Force there to tell her the next move of every person or thing she faced. And she knew who it was who was coming, though the only name she could put with it was, _Fear_.

And fear is just what entered, flanked on front, back and sides by clone troopers, rifles in hand, ready to use them at a moment's notice.

There were two men, both cloaked from head to toe in black raiment. One was tall, with a black mask covering his entire face. The second had a face hideously deformed and hidden by a thick cowl. Even so, Ahsoka recognized him instantly as Chancellor Palpatine, now Emperor, and known by the Rebellion as the Dark Lord of the Sith, Sideous. And the man beside him, Ahsoka figured, was Darth Vindor. It didn't matter, anyway, because it would be a fight for her life regardless of what happened.

Both men stopped when they saw Ahsoka, lightsabers drawn and ready for action, and while Vindor reached for his own lightsaber, all Sideous would do was laugh.

"Young Jedi fool," he said, his voice honeyed but menacing at the same time. "You have no hope of defeating _me_. Surely you know that."

"Surrender, _Sideous_," spat Ahsoka, unwavering, an edge of steel to her voice.

"I wish I could," answered Sideous apologetically. "But it would be so unfair if I did so when victory is so near at hand." He raised his hands and sent a burst of Sith lightning in Ahsoka's direction, which she blocked expertly, though the sheer power of such a force was almost too much for her to handle. "Now tell me, youngling, where is your master? And his wife? Where is she?"

"I dare you to touch her, Sideous," said a voice behind them, and both dark men whirled around to see Anakin standing in the doorway, fire flashing in his eyes and a drawn blue blade at his side. "Just go ahead and try it."

"Young Skywalker," laughed Sideous, and his voice made Anakin's head hurt like it did when he heard metal scrapping across permicrete. "Brave and foolish at the same time."

"You took the words right out of my mouth," answered Anakin, raising his blade a little more as Obi-Wan entered beside him, his own lightsaber drawn and mirroring Anakin's perfectly.

"Not so fast, Jedi scum," hissed Sideous, then there was a collective scream in the direction of the bedroom and Anakin realized that Darth Vindor was no longer in the room with them. He came, then, dragging Padmé by the arm, and two troopers had Dormé in their possession, though Ahsoka had managed to sidestep their attempts to seize her and was how on the opposite side of Anakin as Obi-Wan was.

"Let her go!" yelled Anakin, almost ready to beat the living shit out of Sideous, but wondering if he shouldn't try to do it in a more constructive way.

"You underestimate my powers, young fool," laughed Sideous, then raised his hand, somehow making Padmé cry out all the more.

"Anakin, help me!" she screamed, and her voice brought the tears to Anakin's eyes as the images of his dream flashed once more behind his eyes.

"Get out of my head!" he yelled, raising his hand to ward off the images, knowing that Sideous was the one bringing them to the forefront of his mind. The Dark Lord only laughed, a harsh, cruel sound, as he sent a bolt of Sith lightning in Anakin's direction, catching him before he could raise his lightsaber to deflect the bolt.

"Anakin!" screamed Padmé, trying to get away from her captors as she saw Anakin fall to the floor, stunned by the lightning.

"Silence, whore!" bellowed Sideous, turning on her and sending another bolt in her direction. She fell to the ground, writhing in pain, even as Obi-Wan reached down and helped Anakin to his feet. There was nothing either of them, or Ahsoka, could do to stop the torture. Clones had their rifles trained on everyone in the room. One wrong move would be the end.

As it were, Sideous ended the lightning as soon as Anakin came to his senses enough to contemplate stopping him. Padmé remained on the floor, grimacing every time she moved, and though Dormé tried to go to her aid, she was held back.

"Did you really think you could stop me?" asked Sideous in a low voice, though it was more deadly as a result of it's lack of emotion. "Everything that has transpired has done so because _I_ have allowed it to. It is all part of my plan. And _your _whore of a wife…" He pointed an accusing finger in Anakin's direction. "… has fallen right into that trap." He turned his unsympathizing eyes back to where Padmé was struggling to get up on her own. "Alas." Then he sent another bolt of Sith lightning in her direction, driving her to her knees, and then to the floor.

"NOOOOOOO!" roared Anakin, lunging forward, lightsaber aimed at Sideous' heart. But even as he did so, the Sith Lord raised his hand and sent him flying backwards against the wall with a massive Force push. Ahsoka lunged between them, lightsabers held up to deflect any lightning Sideous would send Anakin's way.

Anakin lay on the ground, stunned, the breath knocked out of him. He could hear Padmé's screams. They sounded so far away. He knew Ahsoka was standing over him, and Obi-Wan was there, too. He remembered how he'd felt during the Clone Wars whenever he'd gotten injured. Sometimes, he almost brushed with death. But he never felt closer than he did now, and the horrible part was that nothing had happened. He hadn't been fighting, he hadn't sustained any injuries besides the Sith lightning, he was completely unscathed. And yet he knew he was dying. He felt it. And suddenly, as he felt his breath start to slow and his heartbeat waver, he realized it was Sideous who was doing this to him, and that terrified him even more.

_Get out of my head, you son of a bitch_, he thought, gripping his teeth as tightly as he could in his weakened state. The pressure only grew, and red and black lights began to flash behind his eyes. _How can black be light?_ he thought distantly to himself.

Then Anakin's vision cleared, and he saw in his mind the meadows on Naboo, where he and Padmé had gone away to be alone. And he could almost feel the wind in his hair, and the feel of the grass beneath his feet, and the sound of the waterfalls behind them. And he saw Padmé, running toward him with a broad smile on her face, dressed in the yellow gown she'd worn that day. Then the image of her flickered and transformed to a new image of Padmé, with a deathly white face, though her eyes were just as bright as they'd always been. And she was dressed in a dark blue and teal gown, with flowers in her hair, clutching the Japor Sippet in her hands. Then, as Anakin watched her, her heard her voice in his head, and it was filled with desperation, crying out in terror.

_You're my only hope! My life depends on it!_

And then the image of Padmé in his mind slowly closed her eyes and she faded away, and the meadow disappeared, replaced instead my a black place with rain and hail pelting his face. It hurt. It _actually_ hurt. And he realized, suddenly, that he _couldn't_ die. He had to fight it.

As if in answer, a presence filled Anakin's mind then, and he heard the voice of Yoda speaking to him, clear and strong.

_You must live for her, _he was saying, and though Anakin did not register this at the time, he knew Yoda was not speaking about Padmé.

Then Anakin took a deep breath, though he had not prompted himself to do so, and he coughed wildly as his lungs filled again. Ahsoka glanced back at him, clearly stunned by his sudden return to life, and Obi-Wan fell down beside him to help him to his feet. Anakin was weak, but strength was quickly entering his body. He felt more connected to the Force than he'd been in his entire life.

"Stand down, Sideous!" he yelled when he'd gotten his footing, and a blue blade appeared at his side, almost as if the words had summoned it. Sideous turned then, and a fear was in his eyes that Anakin had never seen before. No one had seen it. And before he could raise his hand to send another bolt of Sith lightning in Anakin's direction, Anakin had lunged at him, intent on killing him with a strike of his blade.

But the Sith Lord was too fast, and his own blade, red like blood, came up to meet Anakin as the former Jedi came down on him.

The two put up a vicious fight, and whenever their blades met, the room was bathed in flashes of purple and white. The Clones attention turned momentarily away from the other prisoners, and in that moment, Obi-Wan and Ahsoka attacked, taking every Clone out in an instant, and freeing Padmé and Dormé as they did so. As soon as she was clear, Dormé ran to Padmé's side and lifted her unconscious head into her lap.

"She needs medical attention," said Ahsoka, studying her face and then glancing up to where Sideous and Anakin were still fighting. "And fast." Obi-Wan needed no more prompting. He pulled out his comlink and tuned onto Rex's signal.

"Rex, we need you to bring the speeder around," he said, keeping his voice low, though it was full of urgency even so. "And be careful. We disposed of all the troopers up here, but there may be more in the lobby. Keep your eyes open."

Even as the transmission ended, there was a scream, and when they looked up, everyone saw Sideous, minus a hand, and with a massive cut across his face, racing from the room as fast as he could go. Which was pretty fast, considering he was an old man. He turned around as he ran, and sent a heavy bolt of lightning in Anakin's direction, stopping the Jedi's pursuit and sending him against a wall. Then he was gone, and by the time Anakin was able to get to his feet, the continued pursuit on foot would have been pointless.

_He's getting away! He's getting away!_ yelled Rex in the comlink a moment later.

"Send a transmission to the spaceport to stop his escape," ordered Obi-Wan, but Ahsoka stopped him.

"It won't work," she said, her voice holding a very commanding air. "They're loyal to _him_, remember? Besides, we need to get Padmé off planet as soon as possible. When Sideous gets to wherever he's going, he'll be hell bent on finding us. We _need_ to get out of here."

_Got it,_ said Rex from the other end of the comlink. _I'll wait for your signal._

"Padmé!" yelled Anakin then, and the others turned to see him stumble toward her and fall down hard on his knees beside her, taking her head out of Dormé's lap and holding it to his chest. Padmé coughed, weakly, and opened her eyes just slightly, gazing up at him.

"Ani," she breathed, no strength left even to speak. "I love you. I'm so sorry."

Then she fell unconscious again, and Anakin, invigorated by his anger and his need to save her, stood up and scooped her into his arms. Then he ran from the apartment, followed closely by the others, not looking back for fear he would stumble.


	15. Chapter 15: Darkness Falls

**Chapter Fifteen: Darkness Falls**

It wasn't hard to locate the hanger where Padmé had left the _Falzar_. Once on board, Obi-Wan hurried to the cockpit to begin the startup process, Artoo in tow. Dormé rushed to the medical bay while Anakin followed at a slightly slower pace, carrying Padmé in his arms and whispering soothing words to keep her calm. She had regained enough consciousness to groan, and that was pretty much it, except that she was also clutching Anakin with everything she had. Anakin had a distant memory of the day Leia was born, and would have smiled if he could, since Padmé had reacted the exact same way during that event.

Ahsoka and Rex had left them to it, since they had their own ship, which Ahsoka had flown from Dalmoyad, where they'd been hiding. On the way, they were going to hand Anakin's gutless starfighter, which Anakin really didn't have any soft feelings for, over to some smugglers who were always looking for ships to take the spare parts off of. Anakin's opinion was mild. He figured the piece of crap was good for nothing else.

Padmé was quickly stabilized, and leaving Dormé to monitor her progress, Anakin retired to the cockpit, where he relieved Obi-Wan at the controls. He needed the distraction. So much had happened over such a short period, and he had to get out of the idea that it was all for nothing. He knew it could have been prevented, but he also knew where Padmé was coming from in that regard. He didn't want to blame her for anything. He just wanted her to live.

Ahsoka and Rex had taken no time at all to get away from Coruscant, and so when the _Falzar_ finally blasted out of the atmosphere, they were ahead of them. Anakin contacted Ahsoka before they jumped into hyperspace and ordered her to set course for Naboo, and have four jumps at certain locations, so if Padmé's condition decreased at any point, they wouldn't be stuck in hyperspace and would be able to land if they could find a safe place to do so. Ahsoka agreed that it was a good idea, and a moment later, both ships entered hyperspace, one after the other.

As it were, Padmé remained stable throughout the entire trip, getting better near the end due to the lack of movement and the supplements Dormé was able to get into her system. When Anakin finally touched down as close to the Naberrie home as he could, Padmé was able to sit up on her own, though she needed someone to hold onto her while she walked. Anakin left Obi-Wan to support her while he grabbed the bags, then led the way toward the house.

It could have gone well. It was _supposed_ to go well. Anakin _knew_ everything would work out, as soon as the Naberrie house was in sight. He had no reason to think otherwise. And yet he'd had so many instances of life flashing before it eyes that day, that one more didn't seem that big of a deal. He could almost see Yoda's face in his mind, when that explosion tore apart the inside of the _Falzar_, and that was really the only thing that kept him sane.

"Anakin!" yelled Obi-Wan desperately, and Anakin pushed back the ringing in his head in order to stand up and stumble over to where Obi-Wan knelt next to Padmé's still body. No one had really been physically hurt during the explosion. It was either a delayed timer that went off just a fraction of a second too late, or else an assassin had been a little slower on the uptake. But whatever it was, they'd all managed to get off the ship before the explosion took place. And aside from a few burns and scrapes from when they'd been thrown to the ground, they were all relatively in one piece.

Except for Padmé.

She'd been in a fragile state the entire trip. The Sith lightning had a way of wearing down one's defenses, and Anakin wasn't feeling as much of the effects for two reasons. He'd gotten less of the lightning sent in his direction, and he was a Jedi, therefore able to withstand more torture than an ordinary mortal.

Padmé wasn't a Jedi.

And now…

Anakin knelt beside her body, feeling her pulse, which was almost nonexistent. Suddenly, Padmé writhed and started to thrash around, almost involuntarily. Obi-Wan held her as steady as he could, until Dormé stumbled over to them and helped to hold her down. Anakin tried to stay as calm as he could, holding his fingers to her neck to keep tabs on her pulse. It was off the charts.

"She's having a stroke," said Obi-Wan stiffly, still trying to hold her down. "Her heart couldn't handle the explosion. Not after what Sideous did to her."

Anakin didn't reply, because just then, Padmé stopped writhing. Her eyes flew open and they were as clear as they'd ever been. They latched onto Anakin's almost without prompting, and she reached over and grabbed his hand tightly. She was not in pain, which was what surprised Anakin. Instead, there was a smile on her face.

"Ani…" she whispered, then it was as if every ounce of strength had been put into that smile and that one word, and her head dropped to the side, her eyes closing of their own accord. The fingers loosened around his hand and they fell away, still and lifeless. And beneath the fingers he had pressed to Padmé's neck, Anakin could feel nothing. There was nothing.

"No," he whispered, then his voice started to increase in volume as he leaned down and tried to bring her back to life through his sheer willpower. "NO!"

And as he cried aloud, the agony clear in his voice, Obi-Wan took over the situation, pressing his hands on Padmé's chest in an attempt to get her heartbeat back. But it didn't work. She was gone, and nothing could revive her.

"NO!" screamed Anakin, and Dormé didn't dare get near him, though Obi-Wan stood up and grabbed Anakin's shoulders to pull him away, just as Rex and Ahsoka ran toward them, startled by the explosion and now terrified by Anakin's screams.

"No!" cried Ahsoka when she saw Padmé's lifeless body, but Obi-Wan wasn't interested in any more hysterics. They were still in danger.

"We've got to get them inside," he ordered, pulling Anakin as hard as he could to get him to stand up. "Rex, carry her!"

The former clone Captain didn't even have to be asked, and with a soft grunt, he lifted the lifeless body into his arms and started running toward the Naberrie house. Dormé followed close behind, her own cries mingling with Anakin's. Ahsoka gathered the droids, and as many bags as she could carry and ran after them. Then Obi-Wan followed, pulling Anakin, who was bent over double, he was screaming so hard. And the door to the Naberrie home flew open and Jobal raced out, ripping her hair when as she saw what happened.

The first pitiful drops of rain fell from the sky, splashing on Padmé's cold face. And darkness came early.


	16. Chapter 16: Lost But Not Forgotten

**Chapter Sixteen: Lost But Not Forgotten**

It was a cold day late in the year. At least, it was cold in most places of the world. Colder in others. Never hot, unless you lived in the hottest part of Tatooine. But Anakin was never going back to that place, or Cyrden for that matter, or even Naboo. Nowhere that would remind him of Padmé. The pain was still too deep for him to full comprehend. And he doubted whether he'd ever get over it. He didn't think we would.

Pandin was one of the colder planets, with a steady temperature well below the normal freezing level, and when Anakin touched his space skiff down on the icy landing pad, it was also in the middle of a blizzard. Visibility was at zero. The only thing that lined him up with the runway was his thin connection to the Force. He'd severed the stronger ties, as he'd done when he and Padmé had disappeared nearly a year earlier. He only held onto enough of a connection to get stuff done, and that wasn't much.

With a deep sigh, and a sinking feeling that often came when he was alone, Anakin stood up and left the cockpit, Artoo rolling noiselessly along behind him. He went into the main sitting area of the small skiff and almost smiled when he saw Leia, sleeping soundly in her hanging jumper. Ruwee had insisted on connecting it to the ceiling of the skiff, so she'd have somewhere to be while Anakin was flying. She'd fallen asleep there, leaning her head against her little hands, mouth open, Threepio standing nearby to watch her.

It was a cute site, but Anakin felt his heart breaking again as he thought of Padmé, and how this little baby reminded him so much of her. And he wasn't ready to smile again. He doubted he ever _would_ be.

"Come on, little angel," said Anakin softly, swallowing back a fresh wave of tears. He'd been crying more than his fair share since Padmé's death four months earlier. He wasn't sure how he'd kept his composure during the funeral, which had been beautiful, by the way. The Queen had come, and Padmé's family, and everyone who had been on Coruscant with them, including Mon. And a few days after the funeral, knowing Padmé would have wanted it, and secretly wishing it would help lighten the mood, Rex and Ahsoka had been married. The wedding was also beautiful, but then Anakin had cried, more because his "little baby is getting married," and less because of the pain in his heart. So, in that regard, Ahsoka's objective had been a success.

Now, Anakin had prided himself for not crying the entire length of hyperspace. He wasn't about to ruin that record.

Leia's eyes opened slowly and she yawned, a pretty baby yawn, without teeth, and held her arms out to Anakin. He lifted her gently out of the hanging jumper and she wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her head in his hair and the beard that was starting to grow on his cheeks. He kissed the curly hair on her head, then lay her down on the soft bench along one side of the sitting area and proceeded to put on her wraps. Padmé had been an expert at this. But Anakin was getting there.

Once Leia was bundled as tight as she could be, with plently of layers of blankets and hardly any baby among them, Threepio handed Anakin the bags which held Leia's things, and with a murmur of thanks, Anakin hoisted Leia into his arms and descended the boarding ramp, behind his head against the blowing snow and covering his daughter's face to keep the wind out of her eyes.

It wasn't a long walk to the covered area where three women in white awaited them. They were cloaked from head to toe, blending in perfectly with the snow, except for their tan faces, which was the only indication Anakin had that they were even there. They waited patiently, canceled from the storm by the porch and the three walls of the building behind them. It was a big building. There were many stories, and lots of windows, and a cheerful, if not strict, air about it. Anakin might have compared it to the Jedi Temple, if he'd been thinking about such things at that moment.

Under the porch, Anakin shook his head to rid it of the snow, then two of the women took the bags from him and carried them inside. The third motioned for him to enter the building, but Anakin shook his head in answer.

"I won't be able to…" he started, not finishing his sentence, and not needing to. The woman nodded and reached out for the bundle in his arms which held Leia.

Anakin hesitated then, gazing down at her little face, the dark brown eyes, so similar to Padmé's, gazing lovingly up at him. He knew how much Leia needed him. He knew how much she'd _always_ need him. But he couldn't. The pain was too much, and he just wanted to be free of it. He was running away, he knew it, and he let the pain carry him, not even thinking. He knew the answer well enough, and hated it.

"Goodbye, my sweet girl," he whispered, leaning down to kiss Leia on her forehead. "Daddy loves you."

Then, with one final kiss, he forced himself to hand her into the arms of the woman in front of him. The woman took him, carefully and lovingly, and Anakin was sure Leia would have a good home. Without another moment of hesitation, he turned away and strode back to the skiff, wishing only to distance himself from the one thing he'd never be able to get away from. He never looked back. He wanted to, but he couldn't. He had to look forward.

And forward didn't have Leia.

Then the thrusters roared, and Anakin raised the skiff into the storm, turning his eyes toward the horizon and not down to the building below. A moment later, the skiff burst from the atmosphere, and with a deep breath, Anakin pressed down on the hyperspace lever. There was a whine in the engines, then a loud sucking noise, and he was gone.


End file.
